The Future is Black
by Country fan 7
Summary: Sequel to "Future Complications" - The time has come for Liam to finish what came to the past to do. The apocalypse is about to commence unless he gets his family, Buffy and Angel, to help. Throw in an Archer, a Swordsman, a Goddess, a Slayer, a Destroyer, a Demon, and an Angel and you have one good recipe for an apocalypse. And it's a good apocalypse.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Now It Begins

**Hey guys. This is the first installment of my final book to the future series. I know it's been a while but I had to get the story started somewhere and I needed to think. So here it is. The first chapter. The next chapter I'll try to put up in the next few days, but it may take a while. As I told you guys at the end of my last book, this book is mostly going to be my own. So not a whole lot of Angel or Buffy episodes, or maybe there will be. I'm working on it. But I will have a lot of Liam episodes here. But for now, enjoy what I have brought you thus far.**

…

**London, England**

**Night Time**

**August 1, 2002**

A woman was running through the darkened streets of London as she was being chased by an unknown presence. She ran down a street and ducked into an alleyway. She leaned against the brick wall and caught her breathe before peering out of the alley, looking down the street. She saw no one and sighed in relief. She turned to go out but was stopped as a hand covered her mouth, preventing her from screaming.

"Going somewhere, Luv?" The vampire said to her in a British accent. His four vampire brethren laughed behind him. "What's the rush? We were havin' ourselves a good time." He threw the woman to the other vampires who held her.

"Fancy a bite?" one of the other vampires asked with a devilish grin.

"Please. Please just let me go." The woman begged.

"Sorry Luv. But we were goin' out for a bite and thought you would like to join us."

"Please don't." The cried. She was tearing up. Fear griped her as the monsters before her held her tight.

"Now let's get straight to the main course." The lead vampire said and bent down to bite her. The woman screamed. Suddenly, the lead vampire was thrust off of the woman and flew right into the wall. Two of the other vampires were knocked back by a single punch and the last vampire was kicked away. The woman took her chance and ran out of the alley, leaving the vampires and her apparent rescuer.

"That was our dinner." One of the vampires said getting up.

"He is now." Another said and they all moved in on the man that deprived them of their meal. The man backed up away as the vampires closed in. He backed way into the pitch black darkness of the alley so that no normal eye could see him. The vampires went after him. Vampire growls were heard in the alley and screams were followed as to a trained listener, they were turned to dust. A match was lit on the darkness and the man stepped out of the alley with the cigar in his mouth and the match in his hand lighting it. He had brunette colored hair and green eyes. He wore a black coat and dark jeans with combat boots on. The man waved the match to put out the light and took a drag from his cigar and puffed out smoke.

"Just like old times." Liam said.

...

Delia was sitting on the couch of Liam's and her apartment, or flat as they say in England. She had her feet up on the coffee table with a laptop propped up on her lap. She was busy looking through her notes on the information they had gathered at the Watchers Council Library. They had been spending the last three months in England dividing their time between helping out Willow when they could and researching the Orb of Danzalthar in the vast library of the Watchers Council. Getting into the Watcher's Council was tricky but not impossible. When they first arrived, Giles should them the building and Liam and Delia did the rest. They swiped Giles' member tag and made two exact copies of it, but with Delia's and Liam's faces on them. Then Liam used his future computer hacking skills to by-pass the Councils computer database and had his and Delia's name added into them. They had to be very careful because even this plan they had could go wrong six ways from Sunday.

Delia had been excited at first when they got into the Council Building and Liam could have sworn he saw her jaw literally drop to the floor when she first saw the grand library. Since then, she had spent most of her time researching in the library. She probably would have made every Watcher proud to see a Slayer with as much initiative as she did. Liam would even go into the library and find that Delia had spent two days straight researching with only coffee and any food Liam brought to her without sleep. Liam would get worried and have her take a break, much to her protests, and research for her. But with all their time researching, it seemed like it was all for nothing. Thankfully the Watcher's Council had the books categorized so that it would be easier for the couple to research specific books instead of every book. But they had researched just about every book that could have any mention of the Orb and found nothing.

The door opened and Liam came in. Delia looked up from her laptop to see him. "Hey." She greeted him.

"Hey yourself." He said back while hanging up coat and taking his equipment belt off.

"Catch anything?" Delia asked looking back at the screen.

"Seven. I think the nights are getting slower." Liam responded as he came over and planted a kiss on Delia's head. As he walked off towards the kitchen, Delia's heightened senses picked up the whiff of smoke.

"Have you been smoking?" She asked looking at him. Liam stopped and turned to face her.

"No." he lied and continued his walk to the kitchen.

"Yes you have and don't lie to me."

Liam stopped again and sighed before facing her. "Ok, yes. I had a cigar after I was done."

"Liam, you told me that you wouldn't smoke unless it was after an apocalypse."

"I didn't have one after we stopped Willow so tonight was that cigar." Liam replied smugly and turned back to the kitchen.

"That's what you said last month." Delia reminded him. Liam opened the fridge.

"Ok, fine. But I also said it was after a major victory. And tonight I took out four vampires in the blackened darkness in record time."

"Liam, you have heightened senses and can see in the dark. Not to mention, I took out six in front of Angel and Spike and even I didn't need a drag to say 'job well done'."

"Whatever." Liam pulled out a beer from the fridge and took off the cap. He put the bottle to his mouth and sipped. Delia was surprised. Liam hadn't drank alcohol since he met her. In fact a lot of his bad habits he had, he quite when he met her. Now all of a sudden he was drinking and smoking. Something wasn't right.

"Now you're drinking? Liam, what happened to the whole you not ever drinking again?"

"I think I can handle it now." Liam said before taking another sip of beer. "Besides, it's not like I'm going to be completely hammered and do something stupid."

"Liam, as long as I've known you, you always do something stupid. Doesn't matter if you're drunk or not."

"Well then there's no hurt in me having a beer." Liam responded before turning away to drink his beer. Delia eyed him suspiciously. It was true that Liam had done stupid things in the past, whether intentional or not, but he never once break his non-alcohol streak since he met her. He quite everything after that night he bumped into her. Whoring, smoking, doing drugs, and especially drinking. Now he's picking back up some bad habits. Something wasn't right.

"OK." She brushed it off for the moment. "Well anyway, I've been looking through my notes on what little we've managed to get from the library."

"Anything useful?"

"Nothing. And that's putting it mildly. There are no pictures, no references, mentions, sightings. Nothing that points to the Orb in anyway."

"What about all the information we got before we came here?" Liam asked and took another sip of beer.

"That was all speculations and theory Liam. Nothing concrete enough to point us to where it might be."

"Then I guess we'll just have to keep on looking." Liam took another sip of beer. "Why don't you turn in tonight and we'll both go to the library tomorrow."

"I was actually thinking that maybe we should go back to Sunnydale." This caught Liam off-guard. They never talked about going back to Sunnydale since they came to England. It was always research and find the Orb. Liam walked into the sitting area and sat down in a chair.

"Why do you wanna go back?"

Delia closed her laptop and placed it on the table. "The Watcher's Council is proving to be a bust. I mean I know that they are supposed to have information on like all demons and evil things, but they apparently don't have anything on any Orb."

"We haven't checked everything yet."

"But majority says that we aren't going to find anything in the remaining books we haven't looked through."

"Did we look everywhere? Including the Restricted Section?" Liam smiled and took a sip of beer. Delia gave him a look.

"This isn't really a time to reference Harry Potter, Liam. No matter how appropriate that saying was."

"All I'm saying is that we haven't covered all of our bases yet. Let's not quit before we're done." Liam finished his beer and got up and headed towards the kitchen again.

"But I think that get more information if we somehow hack….." She was cut off before she could finish her sentence.

"I said let's not do that." Liam raised his voice and spun around to face her. Delia looked at her husband, stunned. She had never seen Liam drunk and she knew that he had only one beer. So he clearly wasn't drunk. But every other time Liam was like this, it was because of something on his mind. Something serious.

"Liam, I simply made a suggestion."

"Well, that's not a suggestion I will take. We'll finish the job we have here before we go and do something else." Liam stated his wishes and went into the bedroom. The door closed rather loudly. Delia still sat on the couch looking at where Liam had left the room. This was definitely not normal behavior for Liam. Whenever he stated a course of action, he would explain it. But whenever he didn't he usually had something up his sleeve. And being the nosy detective she was, Delia was going to find out exactly what.

…

Giles was in his study at his estate house reading a book. Since he arrived back in England three months ago, he and Willow had been staying at his house while she went off to her classes with the local coven to control her magic. When he was home last year, it was very quiet and Giles felt lonely. But now that Willow was here with him and Liam and Delia would help out from time to time, he felt better and wasn't so alone anymore. He had missed his family and he missed everything from his home away from home, Sunnydale.

There was a knock on the door and Giles looked up from his book. Delia stood in the doorway, leaning on the banister.

"Delia. How good it is to see you." Giles said happily.

"Hello Giles." Delia greeted the watcher. "Mind if I come in?"

"Please. Not at all." Delia nodded and walked into the study, sitting down in a chair across from Giles' desk. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"Actually, yes." Delia didn't know who else to turn to. With Willow going off to her classes and Buffy and Angel 5,000 miles away, Giles was the only family member of Liam's she could talk to about him. "It's about Liam."

This caught Giles' attention. He set his book down and leaned his elbows on his desk, looking at Delia with his full attention. "Is everything alright?" he asked concerned.

"I don't know. Lately, he's been acting….different."

"Different how?"

"He's been….smoking….and drinking."

"Excessively?"

"No. He just has a cigar after a major win against a number of vampires and he's had a beer like every other day."

"And this is abnormal?" Giles asked thinking it wasn't a big deal.

"Yes." Delia said getting up and begun to pace.

"So a grown man who smokes and drinks is abnormal. Yes, I can see where you should be worried." Giles said sarcastically.

"Don't get cheeky." Delia said. "Liam never does this."

"Ever?"

"Well, he did it before he met me, along with some other bad habits, but he quite them all cold turkey when he met me."

"What other bad habits did he have?" Delia stopped pacing and gave Giles a look. She didn't want to tell him and Giles saw that she didn't. "Right. Has he expressed any other of these bad habits?"

"No. Not that I know of."

"Well, it is natural for men to have bad habits, quit them, and then go back to them after a period of time. Usually they have a far more control over them then they did before." Giles theorized.

"Do you really think that I'm just being paranoid?"

"Could be possible. But if you truly believe that there is something wrong with Liam, then you should confront him about it." Delia nodded to the watcher. She would definitely confront Liam about this. It wasn't him and when Liam started doing things out of the ordinary, something was definitely up. She didn't want to tell Giles about Liam's little outburst the previous night, thinking that whatever caused him to drink is what caused him to raise his voice to her. She wanted to know what was going on.

…

Delia walked into her apartment in London and set her coat up. She looked around but found no sign of Liam. She thought that he must have gone to the Watchers Library to do more research. She thought about joining him but decided against it. She'd be too busy wondering what has Liam all hot and heavy.

Delia walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. Immediately she noticed that there were only three beers left in the refrigerator. Then she had a thought. She went over to the recycling bin and opened it. All she saw in it were beer bottles. She moved some of them out of the way and found a scotch bottle there too. Liam drinking was fine for her if Liam drank every now and then. But Liam drinking this much, something was definitely up with him.

The door opened and Liam came in. Delia turned and looked at him. He was wearing a black suit with a dark tie on. Delia had noticed that Liam's appearance in the past several months had been getting darker every few weeks. He no longer wore any other colored jeans but dark blue to pitch black. Everything else stayed black in his wardrobe. He set a briefcase down and undid his tie. He looked into the kitchen and saw Delia standing over the open recycling bin. He figured out what this could eventually be about.

Liam sighed and took a few steps towards his wife. "Is there something you wanna talk about?" he asked her.

After a moment. "Liam…what's going on with you?" Delia asked getting strait to the point.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't try to side step this." She walked a few steps towards him. "The drinking, the smoking, you being all secretive, you going all dark in your wardrobe."

"I've always been like that."

"Not this much." Delia was getting worried about Liam and he could tell. "Liam I'm worried. And this…how you're acting….it scares me."

"I'm just being me." Liam said calmly.

"Well it's a new you that I don't like. I liked the old Liam. The one that doesn't drink and doesn't raise his voice to me because I had a thought and it didn't need you to yell."

"Is that was this is about? You wanting to go back to Sunnydale but I told you 'no'."

"That's not it…"

"Because I think that we haven't checked everywhere yet and I wanted to cover my bases."

"Liam I get that. I really honestly do. But all I am saying is that this whole new you thing…I don't like it."

"Yeah well, I don't like a lot of things. But I have to live with them every day of my life. And it sucks. But I live with it. And so can you." Liam brushed past Delia and got a beer out from the refrigerator. Delia was in shock at what Liam had told her. He just said to get over what was bothering her. But when it came to Delia, she doesn't get over anything. Until it was resolved.

Delia turned to face Liam. "You the hell are you?" she asked him.

Liam took a sip of beer and looked at her. "I'm your husband."

"Really? Cause…my husband…my actual husband…he would not yell at me when I make a harmless suggestion."

"Delia…"

"My husband wouldn't drink and smoke on a regular bases. He wouldn't be keeping secrets from me. And he would especially care for me. You don't care about me! You don't care about me or what I want!" Delia yelled at her husband.

"Delia, I do care about you." Liam tried to calm his wife down.

"No you don't. Liam, we have searched throughout the entire library..."

"We still have some books left." Liam reminded her.

"And what will they tell us? Nothing. I try to tell you a point and you yell at me." Liam stared Delia, his own wife yelling at him for his secrecy. And he knew that she was catching on to it. "Liam you're hiding something from me. Please tell me what that is. Otherwise….I don't know. But I can't be in the dark if whatever it is that you're keeping from is making you go back to your old life."

"I'm not going back to my old life." Liam stated firmly.

"How do I know that? How do I know that you're not just saying that and going to a demon brothel like you did before?"

"I didn't do anything last time."

"But I don't know. I need to know Liam. Marriage is about trust. How can I trust you if you keep secrets from me?" Liam didn't answer. He stared at his wife, letting her words sink into him. He was doing this to her and he knew it. But he didn't say anything in his defense nor did he try. After what seemed to be hours of silence, Delia shook her head at Liam and turned towards the door. "I'm going to go out for a while."

"Delia…" Liam started.

Delia stopped at the door. "Liam…please." Delia took her jacket and headed out. Liam stared after her and looked down at his beer bottle. He was about to set it down, but decided against it and drank some more of it.

…

Delia sat at a pub near where she and Liam lived. She was drinking a bottle of bourbon to drown her sorrows. She and Liam had a good relationship now and in the future. They had there spats and they had periods where they would get mad at each other for something stupid. But whenever it was Liam that was doing something stupid, it was always some horrible secret that he didn't want to share. This had gone on for five years and now it looks like brought it to the past with him. She poured some bourbon into a glass and started drinking it. If Liam could drink whenever he wanted, then so could she.

A woman walked up the bar and sat next Delia. "Two pints of lager." The woman asked the bartender in a local northern London accent. He nodded and went to get the drink for the woman. The woman looked to Delia who had her head leaning on her hand and she was looking straight forward, contemplating. "Fancy a chat?" she asked Delia. Delia turned her head to face the woman. She seemed to be an average girl with jeans and a tank top with a sport jacket on. She had semi bushy brown hair and dark eyes.

Delia looked at her confused at her question towards her. "What?" Delia asked her.

"Are you alright? Do you need someone to talk to?"

"All I need right now is a glass and a bottle of bourbon." Delia took a sip of her drink and felt better as the whiskey hit her throat and did its magic. "What do you know? It works."

"Well it looks like to me that you are drowning your sorrows. Typical American." The woman commented.

"Oh what? Like you Brits don't drink when you're upset?"

"Oh we do. Just not with Bourbon a whole lot." She indicated to Delia's already half empty bottle. The bartender came back with the woman's drink and set it down at the bar.

"Well, in America, we drink because our so called husbands keep secrets from us and don't want to tell us." Delia took another sip of whiskey.

"Caught the bugger cheating did you?" the woman took a sip of her drink.

"I don't know. He's not the type of guy to do so."

"They never are." The woman looked to Delia and smiled. "I'm Megan by the way." Megan offered her hand. Delia took it.

"Delia." The two women sat at the bar drinking together.

…

Liam sat in his dark apartment, drinking a bottle of scotch he bought from a local liquor store. He had many different reasons to drink. One; he was now in a rough spot of his marriage for keeping a secret. Two; it was his secret that was making him drink. He wanted to tell Delia. He really did. He had been through this type of thing before with her. But this time was different. If felt different to him. Even though it he had stayed in the past for two years, been through a lot with his family, saved the world, honored memories, he never was able to deal with the pain that was this intense before. It only happened once before and this time it felt just as painful.

Liam got up from the couch with his glass in hand and walked to his laptop on the round kitchen table. He sat down and opened it up. He typed in his password and opened up his calendar. The date was August 2. But he looked at two more dates that were coming up. August 8, and October 2. He clicked on August 8 and what popped up was a reminder.

'_Visit her.' _

He starred at that simple reminder. A reminder that he told himself he would do when he first came back to the past. But his so called death prevented him from seeing her. He missed his chance the first time around. And now it seemed that he would miss her again. He typed in the computer and wrote a note.

'_Unable to see her.' _

After writing the note, he took a big gulp of his scotch and set the glass down. He inhaled and let out a very big sigh. He was feeling guilty for a lot thing at the moment. Each one different and each one heavy.

Liam clicked on the other date, October 2. In the date had a single reminder like the other.

'_Debt Due.'_

Liam too starred at this one. He sighed once more at it. He only had two months left. He didn't know exactly what to do. He had so much to deal with in such a short time. He thought it would be best to deal with one crisis at a time. First his wife. He'll tell her why he began his drinking. Hopefully it would stop her from asking too many questions. The second would be the debt that he had to pay. It was coming up soon and Liam had a lot to pay for.

…

Delia groaned and turned over in her bed. She held her head as she was feeling a headache from last night's drinking. She doesn't get the typical hangover like others do, but she did have the insane headache. She turned over again to feel for Liam. She didn't remember coming home to him or even talking to him last night. Hopefully she thought it didn't lead to them being separate from each other during the night. Her fears however started get at her when she felt the empty space next to her. That feeling of him not being there made come out of her hangover. She opened her eyes wide and saw the empty space for herself. But what was the weirdest part was that she wasn't in her apartment. She was in a magnificent room with a hardwood wardrobe, a big wall mirror, an even bigger dresser, and she was lying in a four poster bed. She sat up immediately, beginning to freak out. She looked down at herself and saw that she was wearing some kind of silk night gown that seemed to go down past her knees. She got out of bed and confirmed to herself that she was definitely in a periwinkle night gown that went all the way to her feet. At this point, Delia started to freak out. She didn't know where she was, why she was in a night gown, or what happened last night. She went to the window and opened the drapes to reveal that she was at some big estate house. She saw the grounds and how there was a vast garden and woods beyond it.

Delia didn't want to stay here any longer than she wanted so she started searching the room for her clothes. She didn't find them anywhere. She did get side tracked by the luxurious dresses and gowns in the closet that she believed only a princess would wear. She shook of the feelings and continued to search for her clothes. After spending ten minutes of finding everything but, she left her luxury room and started to search the rest of the big mansion for answers. She walked down a corridor and hung a right. The halls were filled with exotic materials one would find in a fancy mansion or a castle for that matter. Suits of armor lined the walls like guards. Small plants were set on tables that also lined the walls. Mirrors and portraits were hung above the tables and in-between suits of armors. Delia glimpsed at one of them and continued to move on. She stopped suddenly and her eyes widened. She stepped backwards a few steps and looked at the portrait she just passed. Her jaw hung open as she saw a portrait of herself in a beautiful princess dress. Her hair was made like royal princess of England and she had on beautiful jewelry. At first Delia was surprised, then in awe, then confused, and finally freaked out of her mind. She ran down the hall hoping to find anyone to tell her what was going on. She ran down a hall and came upon a balcony overlooking an entry way. Two sets of stairs led down to entry way. Delia ran down the steps and headed straight for the door. As she opened it, she stopped suddenly when she heard a growl. She turned her slowly and saw to her amazement and surprise, a dragon. It was as big as five SUV's. With razor sharp teeth, bat like wings, horns on its head, and a tail with spikes, the dragon looked dangerous. Fear now clutched Delia like its life depended on it. The dragon roared and Delia ran back into the mansion and shut the doors behind her, locking them and leaning on them, catching the breath that she forgotten outside. Delia was beyond freaked out. She was in some mansion that she didn't know, guarded by a dragon which she has never fought before, and apparently this place is about her, which she was a little flattered about but mostly freaked about. She saw the dragon peer in through the window above the door doors. It blinked at Delia before it took flight and flew above the mansion.

"What the hell is going on here?" Delia asked herself.

"Your dream." She heard an answer. Delia whirled around to see Megan, the girl she remembered having drinks with last night. At last she assumed she had drinks last night with her. All she remembered was introducing herself and then nothing. Megan was dressed in an old middle age maiden outfit and smiling at her.

"Megan?"

…

The alarm sounded on Liam's bedside table and groggily he waved his hand to silence it so he could continue to sleep. He missed the first two times before he finally opened his eyes to actually see where he was waving his hand. He finally got the alarm to turn off and groaned in bed. He put his hand to his head and held it. He had on a headache. He had forgotten what is was like to get drunk and wake up with a headache. It was not a pleasant experience. Now Liam remembered why he quit drinking in the first place. So it wasn't to wake up like he was now. He rolled over to hold his wife who he thought was in bed with him. He couldn't remember if she came home last night or not. He felt the empty space next to him and realized that she didn't come home. That or she slept on the couch. He might have been passed out when she came home and didn't want to disturb him. Liam groaned again and sat up in bed. The headache felt worse as he sat up.

"Delia." He groggily called out, hoping to receive a reply. He never got one. "Delia." He called again. This time a little more awake. Liam groaned again knowing that by standing up he would feel considerably worse. His assumption was correct as he stood up and felt nauseas. He walked out of his room and entered the rest of the flat. There wasn't any sign of Delia or any sign of her being home. Liam was confused. It wasn't like Delia to stay out and not come home, unless she was with him. Liam walked to the kitchen to make himself a very strong black coffee.

As he put the ingredients in the coffee maker and waited, Liam sat at the table and held an ice bag to his head. His headache was getting somewhat better. Liam looked around the flat again. It really wasn't like Delia to stay out without any notice what so ever. Liam got a little worried, so he decided to call his wife to make sure she was alright, if she would ever talk to him. Last night, he was a real jerk and he knew it. He should have told his wife the truth so that she wouldn't worry. Liam pulled out his phone and called the number for his wife.

"_Hi. You've reached Delia. Since I'm not answering I must be busy. You know the drill."_

Liam heard her voicemail and got a little more worried. "Hey Delia. Look…I know that last night was…" Liam sighed. "I know that I made you worried about me, and don't be. I uh…I was just not feeling good is all. And the reason for that is…well it's more of an in person type thing. Call me back when you get this message. I love you." Liam left his message and hung up. The thing that came to his mind was that Delia decided to leave him. But her being in the past, how could she leave him to find someone else. There wasn't a whole lot of people that knew who she was and help her. Everyone she knew was Liam's family. The other horrible thought was that Delia might be dead. Liam didn't want to think too much on that.

…

"Megan what's going on?" Delia asked her drinking friend. She didn't know what was happening. Hopefully with Megan being here, she might provide answers.

"Oh, you don't remember? Well, how could you? You were completely drunk last night." Megan told her.

"Mind filling in the blanks here? I'm kinda freaking out." Delia said impatiently.

Megan started walking around the foyer. "It's yours." She told Delia.

"My what? What's mine? The dragon?"

"Well yes and no on the dragon."

Delia sighed. "Now I know how Liam feels when I say that."

"And he is the core to why this is happening." Megan explained further.

"How?" Delia asked surprised.

"You wanted this. A fairytale life. One with extravagant clothes and living in a palace. And with a dragon. You didn't wish for that but that was a nice touch."

"What do you mean I wished for this? I didn't wish for anything!"

"Actually you did." Megan started walking towards Delia and stopped right in front of her. "Let me remind you." Megan placed a single finger on Delia's forehead and Delia had a vision of last night.

_Delia and Megan were sitting at the bar form the previous night. They were both laughing and apparently drunk. _

"_Bugs? He's scared of bugs?" Megan asked Delia. Delia took another drink of her bourbon._

"_Not just scared, completely terrified. I mean…he can risk his life to save mine for anything else in the world. But if it's a bug, he'll cower behind my back." Delia told Megan. They both laughed. "And…and…and…he broods like all the time."_

"_Broods about what?"_

"_Everything. His family, his friends, how crappy the world is. Everything. But it's mostly his family."_

"_Why?"_

"_I think has something to do with his sister dying or something." Delia took another drink from her glass. "He and her were so close. And…after she died…he just became so brood and sulky. Like she was everything to him. Hello, I'm his wife. I'm supposed to be everything to him." Delia poured more whiskey into her glass and drank._

"_Did they ever….well you know?" Megan asked indicating something sexual nature._

"_No. At least that's what I'm told. I don't know. But if you ask me…I think they wanted to." Delia took another drink._

"_Wow. This guy of yours sounds like a real git to me."_

"_Oh, he is. And more." Delia sighed and rested her head in hand and her elbow in the bar counter. "You know, I am just so sick of this. I mean when I got married I thought maybe someday I will get my happily ever after but no. Because the monsters just don't stop coming We kill one, another one shows up. Not to mention the fact that my Prince Charming is really just a brooding half vampire who is too sexy for his own. I mean why can't he be more you ... I just wish for once I could live in one of those fairy tales I used to read." Delia took another drink._

"_Done." Megan said in a low growly voice. Delia looked and saw that Megan's face was now wrinkly, decided, and old looking._

Delia came out of the vision and took several steps back, looking at Megan.

"You're a vengeance demon." Delia declared.

"Righty oh. I felt your pain and came to your rescue." Megan said and did a curtsy. "My lady."

"Shut up Meg. I didn't want this. I didn't want vengeance. Now take the wish back or I swear to god I will rip your freakin lungs out."

Megan laughed. "I can't take the wish back."

"Yes you can. It can be done."

"It can. But I won't. See there's this thing about wishes. It's called, 'be careful what you wish for. You just might get it.' Well, you got it. Enjoy." Delia got so angry that she lunged at Megan and wrapped a hand around her neck. She tried lifting Megan up into the air but couldn't. She tried squeezing hard, but Megan laughed. "You can't kill me." Megan sung. Delia realized that she didn't have any of her slayer powers. Again.

"Not again." Delia grumbled and let go of Megan. Megan rubbed her throat that wasn't even bruised.

"See darling, in the fairy tales, the princess is always a delicate damsel in distress. You're powerless." Delia got really angry and pounced on the Megan but the demon simply waved her hand and flung Delia away. Delia skidded on the floor before coming to a stop at the opposite wall. She got back on to her feet.

"Why did you stay? Normally vengeance demons grant the wishes and leave."

"Oh, I would have. But your special and the time has come for everyone to choose sides and the side I'm on wants you gone."

"Great. I feel special." Delia deadpanned.

"You should. After all, you're the princess." And with that, Megan disappeared.

"I'm gonna find a way outta here you bitch! Ya hear me?!" Delia shouted to nothing. Delia folded her arms and looked around. "I may be the princess," an idea came to her mind. "Which means that I can do whatever I want. I could even just leave the grounds." Delia went to the double doors and opened them, only to be met by the ferocious roar of the dragon she encountered earlier. Delia screamed and closed the doors, once again leaning on them and catching her breath. She gasped and then fainted to the floor.

…

Liam was pacing the flat. He was getting really worried. He had left six messages on Delia's phone and received no reply. He had done a number of things to piss Delia off in the past, but nothing that would cause her to leave and not return his calls like this. Or maybe this was a whole new level of screw up Liam entered and it was the part where Delia doesn't answer his calls of comes home. Liam started getting even more worried. He ran his hands through his hair at the thought. Liam sat down on the couch and bowed his head. He didn't know what to do. He pulled out his phone again and called Delia.

"_Hi. You've reached Delia. Since I'm not answering I must be busy. You know the drill."_

Liam got the same voicemail message as he did the other six times. "Dammit. Delia, look, you've made your point alright. I'm an ass. I got it. Please just call me back. Or even better come home. I just need to know your safe honey. Please." Liam hung up again and sighed. He was beyond worried now. He was scared. He thought about where Delia could go or what she might do in a time like this. Then he thought of it. Whenever Liam started acting like an ass, Delia would go to the only people who could know him better than she did. Family. Liam shot up off the couch and grabbed his coat and his keys to the rental they had.

…

Two hours later, Liam drove up to Giles' estate house and jumped out of the car. He ran across the lawn and nearly crashed open the front door to Giles'. The loud opening of the door startled both Giles who was in his study and Willow who was up in her room. She was startled so much that she unintentionally caused the lamp in her room to explode, causing Liam to think something was wrong. He pulled out his tomahawk and knife and flew up the stairs to the second floor. He clasped his two weapons together and made the makeshift scythe. He didn't have his gun with him because in England, they don't permit civilians to carry firearms which Liam always thought was stupid. He burst into Willows room, making her jump again and sent magic his way. Liam blocked it with his scythe and redirected the magic out of the room, nearly hitting Giles as he was coming out of his study.

"Bloody hell!" Giles yelled. Liam looked back and saw Giles crouched on the ground.

"Giles, you ok?" Liam asked.

"Yes, yes. Wonderful. All the magic being shot at me makes me remember old times." Giles said sarcastically.

"Glad to know you're ok." Liam turned to Willow. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah." Willow asked sounding surprised and scared. "What's with the whole barging in?"

"Yes, is there any way you could have done so without almost destroying my home?" Giles asked coming up behind Liam.

"Sorry. But guys, I am freaking out." Liam said.

"Why?" Willow asked.

"Delia. She didn't come home last night and she's not answering any of my calls. I'm worried about her. Has she come to see you guys lately?"

"Actually she did come to see me yesterday." Giles said taking his glasses off and cleaning them.

"Ok, what did she ask?"

"You actually." Giles said putting his glasses back on and looking at his grandson with contempt. "She says that you have been going back to your old habits. Particularly smoking and drinking and she fears that you may be doing some unfaithful acts."

"I am not a cheater." Liam declared. "And I've been trying to reach her to apologize. She came home last night and tried to talk to me. Me being the ass that I am, screwed it all up and she got mad and left. I'm trying to find her to set the record straight." Giles and Willow looked at each other. Liam was trying to fix things between him and Delia and not a lot of men would do that. It's one of the things that makes Liam the man he is. He always wanted to initiate peace between people he cared for. It didn't matter how right or wrong he was. He didn't want there to be any friction between him anyone else. Except certain demons and of course Wolfram and Hart.

Giles looked back at his grandson. "I haven't seen Delia since she came by yesterday afternoon." He told Liam.

"Well we fought after that. Willow did you see her?"

"No. I haven't seen a lot of you guys lately." Willow responded a little sad.

"I'm sorry. I promise after all this we'll come over as much as we can. Now, does anyone know if she said anything to indicate where she might have gone?"

"No. All she wanted to do was find out what secrets you were keeping form her." Giles said.

"You were keeping secrets?" Willow asked.

"It's really a stressful time for me right now." Liam said.

"Why?"

"Because my wife is missing and I have no means of finding her at all."

"But what about the secrets?"

"They're my secrets Willow. Emphasis on _mine_. Now we need to find her before some horrible happens to her."

…

In Sunnydale, Anya was busy packing up boxes of what she could salvage from the destroyed magic shop. Ever since Willow suck the place dry and practically destroyed it, Anya couldn't reopen it. So she packed up her belongings and what else she could get for any personal incase the need arrived. She hasn't been doing well the past couple of months. Her business was gone, her love live was in shambles, she didn't want anything to do with the Scoobies anymore, and all she had to look forward to was a life of being a vengeance demon, which she wasn't unhappy about. She was good at her old job and would probably be again.

Just as Anya was taping up a box full of stuff, Halfrek, her fellow vengeance demon, appeared behind her. "Anyanka!" Halfrek said happily. Anya turned around and her mood improved.

"Halfrek!" Anya said happily. The two demons hugged each other. "What are you doing here?"

"Well a friend is always here to support her other friend." Halfrek responded.

"Oh, do you wanna help me pack up this stuff?"

"Uh…not that supportive."

"Oh, well I got to get all this stuff out of here." Anya turned back to the box she just packed. "My business is gone and I have to get all my stuff out of here."

"Can't you get someone else to do this for you?"

"I am the only employee here, the one responsible for the destruction is in England, I don't want to ask the gang for help, so I am left with doing it by myself."

"Oh, well wanna here the juicy news?" Halfrek offered, clapping her hands together. Anya became intrigued.

"What news?"

"Apparently, there is this bounty on two mortal's heads and a vengeance demon has gone to get it."

"Which one?"

"Megankis."

"Megankis?!" Anya said in delight. Apparently Megankis was a well-known vengeance demon for delivering vengeance upon couples for not working out their problems in a peaceful manner. "Why would she be interested? She only goes after couples."

"They are a couple a married couple it appears to be. But there is a bounty on their head."

"From who?"

"This law firm in LA. Uh…Dogoat and Deer?"

"Wolfram and Hart?" Anya corrected her.

"Yeah. That's the one." Anya became less excited and more frightful. She was told about how Wolfram and Hart want to bring about the end of the world by Liam and from what Angel and Buffy told all of them after Connor was nearly kidnapped, she believed them.

"Who are the couple?" Anya asked.

"Oh, you know I can't tell you that. So here it is. Some guy named Liam and a woman named…"

"Delia." Anya finished.

"Yeah. How did you know?" Anya had a look of worry on her face.

…

Liam entered the pub that Delia had been to the night before. He was dressed once again in a suit. He was going to play as a government official looking for Delia. Hopefully he would get a lot more cooperation from people in England then in America. Liam looked around and spotted the bartender at the bar. Liam cleared his throat and walked up the bar.

"Fancy a chat?" Liam said in a heavy and very convincing Scottish accent.

"Who's askin?" the bartender asked. Liam went into his jacket pocket and pulled out an ID.

"John MacTavish. Scotland Yard." Liam responded. "Was hopin you could help?"

"No problem."

Liam pulled out a photo of Delia. "Have you seen this woman?" the bartender took the picture and looked at it.

"Sure. She was her last night." The bartender responded. _Finally a lead_, Liam thought.

"Did she do anything last night?"

"Yeah, she was sitting here drinking and moppin about her sodden boyfriend. Real ponce if yeah ask me." Liam brushed off the insult and continued on.

"Did she say anything about where she was headed next?"

"No. But she was drinking with another woman here. Real beautiful one too."

"Could you describe her?"

"About her height, brown hair, brown eyes, think she was called Megan."

"Anything else?"

"No. Why is she of interest anyway?"

"I'm not at liberty to divulge that information sir. Ga' day." Liam left the pub with a serious look on his face. This Megan girl, who ever she was, was somehow involved in Delia's disappearance and he wanted to know why. First he needed to go find her. And he knew how to do so. He thanked the powers for his computer hacking skills Danni taught him.

…

Liam arrived back at his flat and pulled out his laptop. He would hack into the London surveillance cameras and try to find the woman Delia was with last night. Then he would run facial recognition and find out where she lived. Then he would ask questions. Before Liam even typed in his password, Anya appeared in the living room.

"Liam." Anya said. The sudden appearance of Anya made Liam jump out of his chair.

"Anya?" Liam said, still in his Scottish accent. "What are you doin here?"

"I am here to te…what's with the Scottish accent?" Anya asked.

"What?" Liam asked, then realized he didn't turn his accent off. "Oh." He said back to his normal accent. "Sorry, I was just uh….doesn't matter. Why are you here?"

"I came to warn you and Delia."

"Well at the moment I'm trying to find her, so in case you're thinking of sticking around to help, save it for another time."

"Oh no. She already did it." Anya said sounding worried. This caught Liam's attention.

"She already did what? Who's she?" Liam asked stepping forward towards Anya.

"Megankis. A vengeance demon. Liam, a bounty was placed on both you and Delia's heads by Wolfram and Hart. Megankis is after you two."

"Megankis? The bartender that I just talked to said that Delia was with a woman last night named Megan."

"That's her. She got to Delia."

"Shit. How could she get to us? She's a vengeance demon. She can't do anything unless someone makes a wish."

"Well someone did. Otherwise Delia wouldn't be missing."

"Dammit. Do you think you can track her or find her or something?"

"I can try, but I can't interfere with what she's doing. Vengeance demon rules."

"Just find her. I'll take care of the rest." Anya nodded and closed her eyes. She concentrated hard on the location. Liam paced a little, waiting for Anya to tell him the best news of the day.

Anya opened her eyes. "I couldn't find her." Now Liam heard the worse news. "But I did find Delia." Now the best news.

"Where?"

"She's in a mansion in Buckinghamshire. The Ditton Park House. I can teleport you inside." Liam came over and took Anya's hand, much to her surprise.

"Do it."

"Ok." Anya nodded.

"Wait." Liam said at the last minute. He let go of Anya's hand went over to the coat hooks by the door. He undid his tie and took of his jacket. He hung them both up and put on his coat, undoing the top two buttons of his white shirt, revealing his Celtic knot Amulet Delia gave him for his birthday, and his mother's/sisters cross necklace. He grabbed Anya's hand again. "Ok, ready."

"Was that really necessary."

"Yes." Anya rolled her eyes and teleported them both.

…

Delia sat in front of her dresser and was looking into her big mirror on the wall. She was now dressed in an elegant princess dress and she combing her hair with a brush. She was weak, defenseless, alone. She wasn't anything like how she envisioned her fairytale to be. Now she knew how the princesses in the stories felt. All she had to look forward to was a life of being held hostage in a castle guarded by a dragon. The only hope she had was the thought that Liam knew she was missing and would come look for her. But how would he know where to go? Where would he look? Would he even find her? Too many terrible thought ran through Delia's mind as she kept combing her hair. A tear ran down her face as she started to feel even more alone.

…

Liam and Anya appeared in the foyer of the mansion Delia was being held in. "OK, this is where I go." Anya told him. "If I interfere, I could be killed for it instead of losing my powers again."

"Thank you Anya. You have done more than enough for me." Liam told her.

"Yeah well, don't mention it. Ever. I'm not helping you because I care. I'm helping you because I know you have a mission and I wanna live."

"Right. Well thanks anyway. I can take it from here."

"Good luck." Anya said to him before vanishing into thin air. Liam looked at the spot Anya left from then looked at the rest of the mansion. It seemed bigger inside than he thought. His parents' house could probably fit into the foyer.

"Ok." Liam said to himself before taking out his tomahawk and knife and making them into the makeshift scythe. "Time for the grand tour." Liam started to search the ground floor for Delia. He checked room after room. Looking in but he couldn't find any sign of her. He wasn't sure if he would be able to check half the mansion before the apocalypse came in thirty years. "Delia" he called out to her. He received no reply. Liam entered the kitchen and searched around. "Delia!" he said louder. He still received no reply. He suspected that she might be on one of the upper floors.

…

After applying on some makeup to hide her tears and braiding her hair into a braided tail that ran down her back, Delia stood up out of her chair. She didn't want to stay her room any longer or else she would go insane. She decided to walk around the mansion, seeing could keep her busy for the next ever. She walked out of her room and looked around the halls as she walked them, seeing different portraits of herself and the suits of armor that stood like guards. She turned a corner and walked down a hallway with windows facing the way the sun was setting. She wanted to look out of them to see the sunset, but she decided against it in case the dragon decided to have some fun with her. She was about round the corner at the end when she saw at the last minute an axe head heading for her direction. Delia yelped and ducked just in time. The axe head imbedded into the wall where her neck would have been. She got up and looked at the axe head and saw it was connected to a makeshift scythe. She followed the hands that held it to see Liam standing before her, also looking at her.

"Delia?" Liam asked.

"Liam!" Delia said happily. She was about hug him but saw the scythe again and got angry. "You almost killed me."

"Uh huh." Liam said.

"I could've died.

"Uh huh." Liam said again not pay the least bit of attention to what Delia was saying. He was more interested in the lime green princess dress she was wearing. He was so distracted by the dress that he didn't realized that he hadn't let go of his weapon. Delia noticed and wondered why Liam wasn't letting go. Then she followed where he was looking and realized that he was staring at her dress.

"Are you staring at my dress?" She asked.

"Uh huh."

Delia scoffed. "Are thinking about having sex with me?"

"Uh huh." Delia couldn't believe that Liam was still acting like a guy even during a time like this. She decided to have a little fun with him.

"You know, I was thinking buying a ball sack and penis to try and spice up the bedroom. Do you think I should do it?"

"Uh huh. Wait. What's happening now?" Liam asked now looking at Delia directly. Delia smiled a mischievous smile.

"You were staring at my dress." Delia informed him.

"I know that. It's a beautiful dress." Liam defended.

Delia shook her head and chuckled a little. "If your mind is not on demons is it about sex?"

"Well I'm a guy, and I have a pulse so….yeah." Delia scoffed and shook her head again at her typical guy husband. Then she noticed that Liam still had his hands on the scythe that was still embedded in the wall.

"You know you can pull your shaft out." Delia said.

"What?" Liam said sounding shocked. Delia smirked and pointed to his scythe. "Oh." Liam pulled the scythe out. "Right now, you ok?"

"Better now that you're here."

"Great, let's get the hell outta here." Delia followed Liam down the corridor he came from. "So…how can I sum this up? You went to the bar, got drunk, and…"

"Made a wish." Delia finished for him.

"With a…" Liam continued before...

"Vengeance demon." Delia finished for him again.

"Who's named…" Liam tried again.

"Megan."

"Megankis. Because there is a gigantic bounty on our heads made by Wolfram and Hart and this vengeance bitch is thinking claiming the prize." The coupled stopped and Delia stared at Liam for what he just said.

"Ok, that I didn't know." Liam nodded and smiled at her, knowing he knew something that she didn't.

"Well, we gotta go and find this demon so we can kick her ass and put everything back to normal." Delia nodded and they started walking again. Liam started looking all around. "So aside from the dress which I am very fond of, why the hell did wish to be in this place?"

"I was drunk and tell her things last night and I wished to be like a princess in the fairytales that I read about." Delia was stopped suddenly as Liam held out his hand in front of her and stopped her. He looked at her with an annoyed look.

"You mean to tell me you wished to be a princess in a fairytale?" He asked looking at her with an incredulous look.

"Well, I loved reading them when I was a kid and thought of how cool it would be to be a part of the story." Delia said with an innocent look.

Liam rubbed his eyes with a hand. "OK, do I have to beat into you Kat's rules again? Rule 1: don't die. Rule 2: Do not us the W-I-S-H word. And you went off to have drinks with a vengeance demon who's gunning for us and used the word." Delia looked guilty and she should have been. She didn't a lot of stupid stuff, but when she did, it usually went putting her life at risk and having Liam come to clean it up. "Is there anything else you wanna tell me?"

"Um…I don't have my powers." Delia told him.

"What?" Liam asked.

"I don't have my slayer powers. Since I am the princess, I'm the damsel in distress and need a knight in shining armor to rescue me." Liam looked like he was about punch something or someone. He went from worried, to serious, to angry, to pissed off in a short amount of time.

"Do you not remember anything? Of course the princess never is the hero. That's how all the stories end up."

"Well I was drunk." Delia tried to defend herself.

"Oh, don't use the drunk card on me. I'm the king of using that phrase on Spike and Faith in the future. Didn't work for me then, doesn't work for you now. But thanks to you, we have to find the vengeance demon and force to reverse everything if you are able be normal again."

"Then what are we doing standing around here?" Liam was about to answer, even having his mouth open and his finger pointed at Delia. But he didn't have a response to give. He closed his mouth and started walking again. Delia smirked and followed after him. Liam came out to the balcony overlooking the foyer.

"Why would anyone waste a perfectly good wish on this crap?" Liam asked while looking at the big mansion.

"Well can you blame me?" Delia said followed after him. "A girl likes the stories where the knight in shining armor comes to the rescue." They headed down the steps to the entry way.

"Well now you get to settle with a guy from the future in a coat." They entered the foyer and headed for the door.

"Well it's not just the knight, it's the whole rescuing and falling in love. And by the way, I am very impressed with yours."

"Oh, thanks." Liam said feeling accomplished.

"Yeah. Not a lot of guys would come and save their wife from a dragon." Liam stopped suddenly and looked worried again.

"Dragon? What dragon?" Delia stopped too and looked at him.

"The one that's guarding the entrance." Delia said. Liam stared wide eyed at her and looked a surprised. "You mean you didn't slay the dragon?" Liam shook his head, no. "Don't you know the stories? Kill the dragon, save the princess, happily ever after. How did you get in here?"

"Anya teleported me."

"Anya?"

"Yeah, she was the one that told me about Megankis."

"Talking about me?" Liam whirled around to find Megan or Megankis standing behind him. "Wanna be the knight? Then be the knight." She flung Liam out the double doors and he skidded on the gravel road to a stop. Liam turned over on his side and looked at his surroundings. He saw that the property was surrounded by trees and apparently a moat which he thought was impressive.

"Liam." Delia came running out of the mansion and crouched down next to him. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah. Never better." Liam said getting up. Megan strode out of the mansion and stopped as she descended the steps. "So what now? Gonna kill us and take the bounty?"

"Something like that." Megan replied. "See darling, like Anyanka, I'm a survivor. I join the winning team. My team wants you dead and I want to live. So I simply do what needs to be done to ensure my survival."

"I bet you love hearing the sound of your own voice."

"Know what I love better? A show." Immediately, the dragon that guarded the entrance to the mansion flew overhead and landed several yards from them. Liam and Delia jumped to their feet. Liam already had his scythe out and was ready for an attack.

"Got a spare weapon?" Delia asked.

"No." Liam replied.

"Any thoughts on a plan?"

"We fight."

"Bit more specific?"

The dragon roared at them and stopped its feet. Liam stepped forward a few feet looking at the dragon with awe and a smile on his face. "Well personally, I kinda wanna slay the dragon."

"Sure, now he follows the stories." Delia deadpanned. Liam ran forward at the winged beast and the dragon breathed fire at him. Liam quickly rolled out of the way of the burning heat and through his scythe. The scythe twirled in the air and sliced off a portion of one of the dragons horns on its head. The dragon roared in pain. Liam caught his scythe and continued to run around the beast. He wouldn't be able to beat the beast head on so he tried a distance approach. The dragon swiped its spiked tail and Liam jumped flip right over it and kept running. The dragon breathed fire again and missed Liam but nearly caught Delia. "Hey, watch it!" Delia shouted.

"Sorry." Liam apologized. Liam ran around the dragon to the rear to try and get a shot at it, but saw that it was paying a bit more attention to Delia. Delia saw this and looked scared. Liam hurried around the dragon before it breathed fire again. Just as the beast blow fire towards Delia, Liam stepped in and pointed the axe head of his scythe at the flames. The weapon caught the fire and Liam pointed the knife end at the wall of the mansion, sending the flames towards it. The fire made contact and blew apart of the wall off. The dragon ceased its fiery blast and the flames stopped. Liam held his scythe that was now burning hot red. He only held it a few seconds before dropping it to the ground and grunting a loud in pain of the intense heat the his hands absorbed. He blew on his hands in a last ditch attempt to cool them off. The dragon roared again and slammed its feet on the ground. Liam picked up his very hot scythe and stood his ground. "How the hell do you kill a dragon?"

"Why ask me? I've never faced one before."

"Neither have I." The dragon roared its head and sent a blaze of fire towards Liam and Delia. Liam grabbed Delia and plunged themselves into the moat surrounding the mansion. They hit the water and hid underneath as the blaze passed by. Liam swam to the surface and climbed out of the water. His scythe was cool now and Liam felt refreshed. Delia popped her head out of the water and watched Liam prepare to fight the dragon. The dragon stomped towards Liam and roared.

"Please god let him make it." Delia prayed. The dragon spit out more fire and Liam dodged the blast. His clothes got dry due to the intense heat of the fire. Liam ran through everything he could possibly know about dragons to know how to kill it.

"Ok, dragons. Uh….uh…" Liam stammered as he remembered that he barley even studied dragons due to the nature that they don't come up but very rare times in any one's life. "There big and breathe fire." The dragon stomped towards Liam again. "Some can fly….uh….a knight can kill it with a sword. Of magic I think." He was coming up with nothing as the dragon swung its tail. Liam flipped backwards out of the way. "Ok…uh…skin made as hard as diamonds. Bones are about 5 inches thick." The dragon roared and went to grab Liam with its teeth. Liam yelped and jumped out of the way. Delia managed to swim out of the moat and climbed onto land to see the fight. Liam landed close to the wall of the mansion. He saw it and how tall it was and got an idea. He got to his feet and stood confidently. "COME ON YOU UGLY EXCUSE FOR A LIZARD! YOU WANT ME?! EAT ME!" Delia starred at Liam in shock at what he was doing. He was egging the dragon. "YOU WANT SOMEONE TO EAT?! COME ONE I'M RIGHT HERE!" Liam positioned himself just right as the dragon attempted again to eat him. Delia closed her eyes, unable to see what would happen next. At the very possible last second, Liam jumped out of the way. The dragon rammed its head into the wall of the mansion and broke right through. Delia opened her eyes at the sound of the crash and saw the dragons head stuck through the wall of the mansion. Liam got up quickly and shot a ball of energy at the wall, right above the whole the dragon made. Liam kept shooting balls of energy at the wall. The dragons was disorientated from ramming its head and was coming out of its dizziness. Liam kept throwing ball after ball of energy at the wall until finally the wall started to break and big chunks of it started to fall onto the dragon. The dragon roared as it started to be crushed by the raining rubble. Liam threw one last energy ball and the rest of the stone wall fell onto the dragon, crushing beneath a pile stone and rubble. Nobody saw the dragon stir after that. Liam and Delia both hope a prayed to god that the dragon was dead. The only visible sign of the dragon was its spike tail that didn't move.

After a moment of nothingness, Liam lifted his hands into the air hollered out loud at his accomplishment of slaying a dragon. Delia was overcome with joy and ran to Liam. He flew into his arms and he spun her around as they were happy that they were alive. They stopped spinning and looked into each other's eyes, taking in each moment as they thought they would never do it again.

"NO!" they heard the yell and turned to see Megan looking particularly angry. Liam let go of Delia and took a few steps towards Megan, holding his scythe.

"It's over Megan. Undo the wish and let us go." Liam demanded.

"No. I will not be defeated so easily." Megan said.

Liam looked at in disbelief. "Do you not see what just happened here? This was not easy."

"I will kill you. So my master tell…" Megan gasped as Liam threw is scythe and the knife portion pierced Megan in the heart, clean through. Megan looked down at it and back up at Liam who came over to her.

Liam grabbed the shaft of the scythe. "Shut up Meg." Liam pulled the scythe out. Megan wobbled a little and fell to her knee, holding her critical wound.

"From beneath you….it devours." Megan managed to say looking up at Liam.

"They always gotta say something don't they." Liam said before shooting Megan with an energy ball. Megan caught the blast and erupted into flames. She screamed before disappearing in a puff of smoke. Liam looked back at Delia who turned from a princess to her normal self. Delia checked herself over and looked back at Liam. "Now do you see why wishing is bad?" They both smiled at each other before enveloping themselves in a hug. "Sorry, if you were expecting Prince Charming in shining armor."

"Eh, armor is not reality my thing, I am more of a leather girl." Delia pulled out of the hug but the couple continued to hold each other. "But your coat also suffices." She indicated to his coat.

"What about broody half demons?" Liam asked smiling.

"Those happen to me my Achilles heel, especially the ones who go by Liam." They both smiled and hugged each other again.

…

Delia and Liam were lying in bed together later that night. After the day they had, they were glad to be back in their flat. Both of them took nice long hot showers to ease the pain from the fight they had today. Liam more so than Delia because he fought a dragon. They were now holding each other in bed.

"So what's going to happen to the dragon?" Delia asked Liam.

"I called Giles. He said that the Council would take care of it." Liam responded.

Delia nodded on his chest. "Do you think that's the best course of action?"

"Who else would I call? Besides, I told Giles to leave us out of it, so no one will be asking us questions anytime soon."

"Speaking of asking questions." Delia lifted herself up and looked at Liam. "About you drinking again…" Liam groaned and sat up.

"Delia…look I'm sorry…"

"No, I'm sorry." Delia interrupted. "You obviously have something's to deal with and I know that you'll share them with me when the time is right." Delia was admitting her own fault in the fight, which Liam was surprised about. Normally he was the one apologizing, but it was nice to hear a chance of pace. "I shouldn't have pushed too hard." Liam nodded and sat up in a sitting position.

"I'm sorry too. But it wasn't fair for me to keep something like this from you." Delia sat up and looked Liam. "It's Kat." Liam admitted.

"Your sister." Delia understood. It was always Kathy. Liam could never get over his guilt for killing her. "Why now?"

"Because in less than a week…it would be the day she died. Or will die." Delia finally understood. His drinking was because it was close to the date that he killed his sister and that enough was painful for Liam. "I promised myself that I would go see her where we buried her. But being in England, kinda prevents me from doing so." Liam bowed his head sadly. "It's also one of the reasons why I don't want to go back. I'm too ashamed to. But not even going makes me feel more ashamed." Delia felt so sorry for him and placed a hand on his back.

"It's ok Liam. Everyone deals with grief at their own pace. She's not going anywhere. You can go see her when were done. Ok?" Liam nodded his head and looked to Delia. Delia raised her hand and held her husband's cheek. "It's ok." She whispered. Liam held her hand that was on his cheek, leaned forward and kissed his wife. She was the only thing he had left to live for now. The kissed intensified and Liam pulled Delia's tank top over her head and led her down onto the bed.

…

Later that night, the couple laid bare in bed after a blissful few hours of love making. They were sound asleep with looks of peace on their faces. The door to their bedroom opened up and a man in a black suit walked in. He stopped at the edge of the bed and cleared his throat silently. Liam immediately shot up and grabbed his tomahawk from his weapon belt on the nightstand. He raised it ready to strike at anything but stopped when he saw the man. He was a short man with black hair, black eyes, and a devilish smile. Liam starred at the man in surprise.

"Hope I'm not interrupting anything." The man said in a heavy growly Scottish accent.

"You." Liam said lowering the tomahawk slightly. The man looked at Liam's naked figure and then back up to his face.

"We need to talk. Privately." The man looked Delia's sleeping naked figure before exiting the room. Liam looked shocked at seeing the man. He looked to Delia briefly before getting out of bed, putting on his work clothes, which consisted of his dark jeans, black shirt, combat boots and his coat, then left the bedroom. Delia stirred and opened her eyes groggily.

"Liam? She asked to no one. She looked around the bedroom but didn't see Liam. She heard the front door open and close and her curiosity got the better of her. She quickly put on clothes and went of the apartment after Liam. Delia walked out of the apartment building and looked for Liam. She caught sight of him walking down the sidewalk on the opposite street. Delia followed after him. She didn't want to call out to Liam because she wanted to know why Liam was being so secretive and going off to some place. He may have told her about being sad over Kathy, but she still got the feeling that he was hiding something.

Liam stopped and turned around. Delia quickly hid behind a car and waited. She scooted around the car and peered through the windows to see Liam checking the streets before disappearing into an alley. Delia waited a few seconds before coming out from behind the car and standing against the wall of the building with her back to it. She peered around the corner and saw Liam walking and then stopping.

"Alright, Alastair. Come on out." Liam said. Immediately, the man that was in Liam's bedroom appeared out of nowhere behind Liam.

"Liam." Alastair said with a smug devilish smile. Liam whirled around to face him. "Long time no see."

Liam didn't look at all happy. "What are you doing here?" Liam demanded.

"Checking in on my investment." Alastair said and started to walk behind Liam. "It's been far too long since our last meeting."

"So why ruin what good thing he had?" Liam asked turning to face the man.

"Oh, I'm not ruining anything ducky. You are." Delia listened closely at the meeting that Liam and this man named Alastair were having. "Liam, it's been ten months. You know are deal. I simple came to ask why I haven't received a payment in so long."

"I'll get you your damn payment when I got it." Liam said.

"Now I wish I could believe you. But you see the problem is, you haven't made a payment in months. Which makes a guy like me worry about you. Do I have to remind you about our deal?"

"I remember the deal." Liam said through gritted teeth. "And you'll get your payment."

"But that's the thing. I gave you one year. Your payment should be mostly if not all the way paid by now. It's simple. 250."

"There's nothing simple about it."

"Oh but it is. You were dragged out of the pit and didn't like that. So we made a deal. I don't send my hound after you, you get me 100 souls." Liam was about to say something but Alastair interrupted. "I also know about your little family dilemma and I loaned you the power to kill the people responsible. Another 50 right there. Then we have the little thing about me keeping all of this from the First Evil. Another 100. That brings us up to 250 souls you have to collect. You owe me 250 souls or my hellhound comes in two months to collect the debt. Your soul. I don't have my souls in two months and you back to where the little witch dragged you out from. You go straight back to hell." Delia gasped silently at what Alastair said. When Liam was dead, he was in hell.

**And there you go. The first chapter. Hope you all enjoyed. I will begin work immediately on the second. This chapter is a two parter. So next one wraps up what happens here. Please, comment and review. I accept all criticism and comments. I want to know what you guys think. Please review. **


	2. The British Job

Chapter 2: The British Job

**Hey guys. Sorry for the late update. Midterms and all. Anyway, this next chapter is unfortunately going to be a two parter. I was hoping to make it one chapter but it ended up being to long. So here's the first half. Next one will be up soon. Promise. Enjoy.**

…

**London, England**

**August 3, 2002**

**Nighttime**

Liam starred at Alastair as the demon before him threatened to send him back to hell if he didn't cough up the souls needed. Liam couldn't go back to hell. He needed to stay and save the future. He needed to save his family. That's why he made the deal. He remembered being in hell feeling a force pulling him out. Alastair was the demon in charge of the torture Liam received and before Liam left, threatened to just simply bring him back. Liam didn't want go back, but he also saw an opportunity. So he made the deal to keep himself on earth long enough to save Connor and hopefully find a way out of the deal. But he knew that The First Evil would somehow know and try to stop him so he made a second deal. Then Alastair brought before him another opportunity to easily kill Sahjhan and Liam took it without a second thought. Liam hated himself a lot for what he had to do, but if he learned anything from his father, it's that you have to do what you have to do for family.

"If you don't have my payment when it's due, you'll go back to hell." Alastair told Liam.

"I know that already. And you'll get your damn payment." Liam told him angrily. He really didn't like talking to him and wished he would just be gone. But Liam knew Alastair well enough to know that whatever makes Liam uncomfortable, Alastair would keep doing it just because.

"Oh I believe you. It's your current total payment that has me worried." Alastair held out his hand a sheet of paper appeared. Alastair showed it Liam to reveal a list of names with dates on it. "Let's look at it shall we." Alastair began reading the page. "Your first payment were the two souls you killed the first night you arrived." Liam cringed at the memory of killing the two innocents as a monster. "Nicely done by the way. Your second payment was the Romanian warlord. That adds up to three right now. Then there is that kid with the power to turn men into….well men. There was that Wolfram and Hart team you blew up in the building. That's an added ten. Then there's the four security guards from Wolfram and Hart, the eight in total men you killed to rescue your damsel in distress that one time, the three commandos that raided your fathers hotel, and last but not least your most recent payment, the vengeance demon." Alastair looked at Liam and the paper with the names of people Liam killed disappeared. "That right there is 30 even souls." Liam starred at Alastair in disbelief. He knew that he didn't have enough souls by now to pay his due, but he didn't realize of how low he was and how little time he had left. If he were to live, he need to get 220 souls in two months. Liam didn't think he would be able to do that even if he was Angelus. "So you see how I might get worried about you little promise to pay off your debt."

"I can get them." Liam assured him. But he didn't know if he assured himself.

"You better. Oh, there's something else as well. You see I like to keep my deals no matter how they play out."

"Ok." Liam didn't know where this was going.

"So if you promise me 100 souls, I keep you out of hell. If I promise to keep all of this from the First Evil, you give me another 100. And if you ask to be given the power to save your family, I give and ask for 50 in return." Liam had a bad feeling about what was about to happen. "You used the power and got rid of it. But I didn't receive payment for it. So in light of that particular little mishap…" Alastair touched Liam's chest and Liam screamed in pain. He hunched over and fell onto all fours. He felt the demon inside of him growing. He felt the monster that he put away months ago coming back. But this time it felt worse. He toppled over onto his back and fidgeted on the ground. A surge of energy originating from his center spread throughout his entire body. He felt that is was dark energy. From around the corner of the alley, Delia stood watching the entire ordeal going down. She was frozen with fear at what she was seeing, what she was hearing. Liam was in hell and made all these deals and he didn't even tell her. Now she wished that he was cheating. Something like that she could handle. She didn't know how to handle this.

Liam continued to fidget on the ground until he finally stopped and inhaled some air. After all that pain he felt, he felt normal still. Like the demon didn't even emerge. He opened his eyes and looked at the starry dark sky above. Alastair came into Liam's point of view and looked at him.

"Nice eyes. Personally I was hoping for a more demonic appearance but I guess this'll do."

"What are you talking about?" Liam asked and got to his feet. Alastair held out his hand and a mirror appeared. He held it up to Liam and looked at his own reflection. He starred in horror at the sight he saw. He saw his own reflection and saw that nothing had changed, but his eyes. They weren't green anymore. They were black. Completely black. Liam starred in shock at what he saw. Then his eyes turned from complete black back to their normal green like his mothers. The mirror disappeared and Liam stared at Alastair who merely smiled at him. "You son of a bitch." Liam took a swing but missed Alastair as he reappeared behind Liam.

"Cool it mate."

"Cool this." Liam swung again but Alastair disappeared and reappeared behind him.

"Look, you know this is how deals go. Ok. You make a deal and you have to keep your end of the bargain. I do."

"Right because you're a real stand up guy."

"Honestly, there's more integrity down in hell then there is on your Wall Street. We make deals, we keep them. And make sure that they are kept by the person we're dealing with."

"And this is how you make sure the deal is kept? By screwing them over?"

"No, you were already a monster. This is just an added bonus just so that you can catch up. But if you really don't like this new you, I can take it back."

"Then do it." Liam demanded.

"At a cost of 50 souls."

"What?" Liam asked in disbelief.

"I you heard me. I'll take back the new power, at a cost of 50 additional souls. So 270 souls in two months and you get to live without a demon scratching at the surface. Let's make it official shall we." Alastair waved his hand and Liam clenched his teeth and grunted in pain. He felt his whole body hurt as if writing was being made on his skin by sharp knives. That was mostly true. Liam rolled up his sleeves to reveal writing appearing on his skin in blood red. "Paragraph 18, subsection b. which is on your naughty bits. _'The Receiving Party of the demonic powers will pay 50 souls for the given power and must be paid by the due date of debt for sparing party's life. To return such powers to the Endorsing Party, the Receiving Party must pay by the due date of other souls due, 50 additional souls to be completely free of demonic powers.'_" The red written lines on Liam's arms disappeared. Liam looked to Alastair with hate. "Cheer up mate. You're better now. You're like one of us. A pure-demon. Some of the first to ever walk this earth and cause chaos."

"I am nothing like you." Liam said with disgust.

"Probably not. You're more likely to be more powerful than us. You always had it in you to do so, I just brought it out more. This could be a fantastic opportunity for you. You could be like the antichrist. Of course you still have your soul and are all about the good whilst I am not. But you could use your new status to catch up on no time at all. So, 270 souls are to be delivered to me by October 2. Fail, and your soul will be taken instead. Understood?"

"No." Liam didn't want to comply, but if what the demon said is true and he was more powerful, he could kill him to get out of the contract. "How about I just kill you with my new powers." He said with a smug smile.

Alastair kept smiling too. "Because I know you. You hate being even remotely demonic. Makes you think of your father, Angelus."

Liam's smile faded. "He is not my father."

"And yet you have a bit of him in you. So you could be the next Angelus with your new status or maybe even greater. It's all up to you. If you want to keep the power, go ahead. If you don't, 50 more by the due date. Understand?"

"Understood." Liam complied. He didn't want to but he didn't really have any other choice. He hated being anything close to the monster that always brought pain and torment to his family. He wasn't going to keep this new power even if his life depended on it. He'd rather be clean and die than dirty and living.

"Great." Alastair smiled.

"Great. First I had to save my wife from a dragon and now I have to kill 270 people just to save my own ass. That's really great." Liam deadpanned.

"Whoa, whoa! Wait a minute. Dragon?" Alastair asked sounding intrigued.

"Yeah. She made a stupid wish and I had to kill a dragon."

"Do you know where it is?" Alastair asked.

"Not at the moment. Why?"

"Do you know how incredibly valuable dragons are? They are hard to find. Even harder to kill." Alastair thought for a second. "Tell you what, I'll knock off 150 souls if you give me some of that dragon blood."

"Dragon blood?"

"Yes. Dragon's blood have many different properties that are, as I would say, valuable to the right person."

"Valuable how?"

"Now that would be telling. Look, it's a sweet deal. Get me that blood, practically half the debt you still owe is knocked off the table."

Liam thought about it. It would mean that he wouldn't have to kill as many people. That would put an ease to his mind. "OK. So how much of it do you want?"

"Oh, not much. Just a good large crate or two should do nicely."

"Ok. Well what about four crates?"

"Are you being generous?" Alastair asked sounding curious.

"Quite the opposite. Two crates takes away 150 souls. If I give you four crates that covers the debt?"

"Tempting, but no. I still want the souls in exchange for your own. 150 off the table for the dragon blood."

"Why don't you bite me?" Liam said.

"If that's your thing?" Alastair smiled and looked at Liam in a very uncomfortable way.

"Ok, fine. You'll get your blood and your souls. But how exactly do you expect me to acquire this blood?"

"I don't know. That's why I'm telling you to go get it. You bring me that blood and I'll knock of 150 souls. Or, you could get me 270 by October. Your choice Irishman. Happy hunting." Alastair disappeared, leaving Liam to feel everything he didn't want to. Anger, hate, shame. He felt a lot of it. Mostly it was to himself for even looking at Alastair the first time he saw him. He wanted more than anything then to just take Alastair by the throat and rip him to pieces. But he needed to stay alive and he really didn't want the power that was just delivered to him. He would have preferred his old self where he could turn into a monster at will. Now he was more demon than ever. He was part pure demon. Liam remembered studying the pure demons. The ones said to have been corrupted souls of the dead. He didn't know what to feel now. The best he thought he could do was try and get the souls needed, unless he found a way out of the contract completely. But he didn't know how.

Liam turned to go out of the alley but stopped when he saw to his horror, Delia standing at the entrance to the alley, looking at him with disgust and horror. "Delia…" Delia didn't stay to listen. She turned the other way and ran from Liam back to their apartment. Now Liam felt what he should have been feeling all along. Tremendous guilt.

…

Liam entered his flat in search of Delia. He'd hoped he could talk to her, make her understand. But to be honest, if the situation was reversed and Delia did everything that Liam had done, he might have left Delia just because of all the secrets and the lying. Liam wouldn't have blamed her if she did.

Liam looked in the bedroom and confirmed his suspicions when he saw an open suitcase on the bed and Delia packing everything she owned in it.

"Delia, please let me explain." Liam begged.

"Explain what? How you lied to me. How you kept a secret like being in hell and making deals with a demon to kill 300 innocent people." Delia responded as she packed up some shirts.

"Delia, I had to do it. I had to escape and not go back if I was to save Connor." Liam tried to reason.

"Oh I understand fully." Delia finally looked a Liam. He couldn't tell if she was mad by her not so angry expression on her face. "You want to save your family. I get it. I would to." She went back to the closet to gather more clothes. "I would just assume that your family would include me."

"You're all I have left of my family Del."

"Don't lie to me!" Delia yelled, throwing her clothes to the ground and rounding on Liam. "I'm all you have left? You have your family. You have Buffy, Angel, Spike Faith, Willow, Xander, Dawn, Connor, you have your family back. You gave your life and your humanity up for them. But I guess when you give up all of that, there isn't enough for me."

"Of course there's enough for you. I'd give up everything for you."

"And not for your family?"

"You are my family. You are all I have left."

"You have your family back."

"They are not my family!" Liam yelled. This caused a silence in the room. Delia starred at Liam in confusion as he just announced that the people he practically died for were not his family.

"What are you talking about?" Delia asked.

"They are not my family. Family is earned. It's not just blood. Mom, she took care of me for four years before she died. I don't know her and she doesn't know me. Dad's just now learning how to be a father. Connor's a baby. Kathy isn't even born yet. Xander's a dick most of the time, Willow is an amateur, Dawn's a teenager, Faith is still finding herself, Spike is still soulless. Hell, Grandpa Giles is probably closer to his future self than anyone. But they aren't the family that I grow up with. The ones who cared and sacrificed a lot for me and my siblings. They aren't my family Delia. But you are. You were family the minute that I told you I loved you." Liam stepped forward so that he was inches from Delia. "And you are all I truly have left in this so called of a life we both live." Delia took in his words. She never realized that in the year she spent in the past that she was all that Liam had in the world. He was all alone and the only thing that could keep him company was herself. The people that wore that faces of his family were complete strangers to him now. He had no one but her.

"I never knew." Delia admitted.

"That's because I don't want to worry you. That's why I didn't tell you about the deal or how I was in hell."

"Liam, we're in this together. Whatever makes you sad makes me sad. Whatever makes you happy makes me happy. And whatever makes you feel hurt inside does the same to me. Don't keep things from me because you care about me a lot. I'm a big girl. I can handle you no matter what happens. Whether you were in hell or in heaven or in purgatory for that matter. There is nothing in this world that could possibly hurt me more than you hurting and me not being able to do anything about it." Liam closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. He let out a sad sigh as he listened to his wife. For a long time he couldn't let his feeling get in the way of why he was in the past. He would let them all go when he was done, but now that his wife was with him he couldn't do it anymore. A tear fell from his eye and looked at his wife.

"I'm sorry." Liam apologized.

"I'm sorry too." The both engulfed each other in a hug. Liam wiped the tear from his eye and too comfort in his wife's arms. Delia did the same. They couldn't do something like this on their own. They needed each other if they were going to save the future together.

"Please don't leave." Liam begged. "Please don't leave me alone."

"I won't." Delia whispered into his ear. She pulled away to see his face but they kept their arms interlocked. "But you have to promise me that you have to stop with the lying and the keeping secrets from me. I don't deserve that Liam."

"I know. I'm sorry. I promise I won't." Liam cupped her face. "Please just don't go." He begged again.

"I won't." They both kissed each other after making their promises, both remembering when they made their promises in their vows before Liam left for the past. That's when they separated from each other and felt alone. Liam more so. Now they were back together and they needed each other, now more than ever.

…

Delia pulled out two beers from the refrigerator, took of the caps, and handed one to Liam who was sitting at the kitchen table. Delia sat down with him and they both took sips of their beer.

"Now I know why you started drinking again." Delia said.

"Only after bad days like these." Liam said taking another sip. He never really did like drinking, even when he did it for an entire year, but when days like these went to hell, he needed a little pick me up. And right now Delia agreed with him.

"Ok, so how are we supposed to get you out of the contract with Alastair?" Delia asked.

"You got me. It seems like no matter what I think, there's always a down side to it."

"Why can't we just kill him?"

"I was going to on the due date if he came to me in person, but then he came a few hours ago and granted me the power of the antichrist. So if I kill him now, I'm stuck with the power."

"Wait, what? Antichrist?" Delia asked. Liam set his beer down, looked at Delia, and in a second his eyes turned from green to complete black. That startled Delia enough for her to almost jump out of her chair. "Jesus."

"Not quite." Liam said as his eye turned back to their normal green. "I don't know what this new power of mine can do, but I so don't want to find out." Liam took a swig of beer.

"OK, so you're the antichrist now…"

"Please, could we not say that? Antichrist makes me sound evil."

"So what would you like to be called?" Delia asked drinking her beer. It seemed like a legitimate question. What was Liam now? Liam thought about for a moment. He was always half demon. But there wasn't anything to show for it other than his superior strength and senses. Some people called him the male slayer. That was cool when he was in a crowd of slayers who were all girls, but he didn't feel honored to be called one. He was so not a slayer. He never abide by the slayer code. He killed humans and is willing to do so. He used guns while true slayers never did. He was also a boy instead of a girl. So he couldn't be called that.

Vampires sometimes called him and his brother and sister Day Walkers because they were from vampires and had some of their traits, but none of their weaknesses. The name was cool for a while, but it got really old too. Mostly Liam would just say that he was half demon, as that was usually what people called people with a demon parent, or in Connors case before, two. He remembered that in a lot of lore, a half demon born form a human and a demon were most commonly named a Cambion. Liam was never called that, but it seemed to fit.

"I think a Cambion works best." Liam said taking a sip of beer.

"Cambion?" Delia asked. "What, did you just make up that word?"

"No. Cambion as a word has been around for since at least the middle ages. But a Cambion is anyone born from a human and a demon, in this case me. And…I kinda like it." Liam smiled at the thought of being called a Cambion. _The _Cambion.

"Aright Mr. Cambion, before you start liking your new status as a whole, let's try and see what we can do about your deal. So if we can't kill him, and we don't want to kill 270 people, what are we going to do?" Delia took a sip of beer.

Liam also took a sip before speaking. "Well, it would be better to get the dragons blood he wanted me to get for him. That right there knocks off 150."

"Why does he want you to get dragon's blood for him?"

"Asked. Didn't get an answer."

"How much do you need to get?"

"Two crates full. Asked if four would settle the debt but he refused."

Delia sighed in frustration. This wasn't how she wanted to spend her morning. Especially this early. It was still dark out. "Ok, so all we need to do is find a way to get the power out of you, kill the demon, and get you out of the contract without there being any collateral." Delia theorized.

"Aright. Time to think." Liam said and they both started thinking. There was a deadly silence in the room as they thought of many different ways to accomplish all that Delia just said. "OK, I got nothing." Liam said giving up.

"I got bupkis too." Delia said and took a drink.

"If there's anything that I have learned when dealing with stuff like this, there is always a loophole in a contract."

"OK, did you read your contract?"

"All I know is is that the deal was that he doesn't send me back to hell, I get him 100 souls. He doesn't tell the First, I deliver another 100 souls. He gives me the power to beat Sahjhan, I'd give him 50 souls. And to add to that, today he made the deal in my contract that if I want to return the power, I'd have to give him 50 souls to do so."

"And that's 300 souls you need." Delia surmised.

"Yeah. But I already killed 30 people so it's down to 270."

"And getting him the dragon blood would knock off 150."

"Bringing it down to 120."

"That doesn't seem so bad if you think about it." Delia said. Liam had his beer bottle to his mouth and looked at Delia with an annoyed look. "Right. Killing humans is always bad."

"That's right." Liam finished his beer, stood up and put it in the recycling bin. Delia still sat and thought about anything that could help Liam in his situation. Then a thought occurred to her.

"Hey, was there anything in the deal about souls going to specific deal debts?" Delia asked. Liam looked to her with a confused expression.

"What are you saying?"

"Follow me on this. Let's say we go into the Watcher's Council, steal the blood and give it to Alastair. But you say that he'll only get if it covers the cost for getting the power and giving it back to him." Liam was intrigued by what Delia was saying and sat down in his seat, leaning forward to listen closely. "And if he agrees and takes the power back…" Delia continued.

"Then we swoop in on him and kill him, freeing me from paying him off even further…" Liam continued for her.

"And he won't be able to send his hellhound after you."

"And I'm a free man."

"Exactly." Liam was overcome with relief and joy and was very impressed with Delia's smart plan, he grabbed her, lifted her up, laid her down on the kitchen table and kissed her passionately. Delia was caught off guard by it.

"Liam." She tried to say as Liam was still kissing her.

"Humh?" Liam said through his kiss. Delia mumbled through the kiss so Liam parted from her. "Yes?"

"I'm glad that you love me so much, but really? Now? On the table where we eat?"

"Sorry, I'm just so relieved that there's a way out. Also I find it attractive when you come up with awesome plans like that."

"I'm attractive in general. And I have my smart moments."

"That you do." Liam started kissing her again and moved passed her lips and started kissing down her neck.

"Liam, Liam could you maybe…" She gently pushed Liam up off of her. "Save it until you're a free man?" Liam sighed and stood up. He really did love his wife but he knew he would have plenty of time for play later.

"Fine." Liam said but he wasn't too happy about it. He sat back in his seat while Delia hopped off the table and sat down in hers. "So we have a plan. Now we just need the details."

"Ok," Delia said straightening her clothes out. "So what are the details?"

"Getting into the Watcher's Council without raising alarm, getting into the place where they are keeping the dragon, taking the dragon's blood without drawing suspicion, getting the crates out without people raising questions, preferably without anyone seeing, leaving no trace that would lead them back to us, and…oh yeah…doing all this within two months." Liam summarized everything that they needed to do. It was a long list with things that were hard to accomplish, even if they only had to do one of them.

"Well, we already can get into the Council." Delia offered.

"Yeah, but it allows to get into the library only. A dragon would be in a far more secure facility and would require like top level access."

"Can't you just hack into the system and give us access?"

"That'd be like reversing a buzzsaw. I'm not that good at hacking. I was surprised that I was able to get us in without anyone noticing."

"Do you think you could try?" Delia pleaded.

"Willow might have better luck at it than me. Better for her to do it because if she gets caught, the council won't ask too many questions if they caught us."

"Ok, so what crazy ass plan can you come up with? Cause I'm all out." Delia leaned back in her chair and looked up at the ceiling. Liam thought for a moment of what they could do. There wasn't a whole lot. Every plan he had involved going in with a big chance of things going wrong. And it was a little more complicated because every operation Liam's ever done involved guns. But since England didn't allow civilians to carry firearms for self-defense, Liam was shit outta luck. The only way for Liam to possibly get into the Watchers Council and get into where ever they were keeping the dragon, he would need an all access granted passkey. And he would need Intel on where they were keeping it. But he didn't have any at his disposal. And it wasn't like they had a man on the inside to just give them everything they needed.

Liam opened his eyes as a light bulb in his head lit up. "We're gonna reverse that buzzsaw." Liam stated.

Delia stopped looking at the ceiling and looked to her husband with confusion. "We're gonna reverse what now?"

…

Later that morning, once the sun rose, Liam and Delia pulled up in front of Giles' estate house. Liam needed Giles if they were gonna pull any kind of heist off in the Watcher's Council. They needed an inside man to give them all the details needed, and Giles was that inside man.

The couple walked up to the house and went in through the door without knocking. "Grandpa." Liam called out. "Grandpa Giles."

"In here." They heard Giles' voice from his kitchen. They walked into the kitchen and saw Giles standing over a pot, pouring himself a cup of tea. He turned as the couple entered and gave a smile at seeing the couple together and not fighting. Willow was seated at the table eating her breakfast solemnly until Liam and Delia should up. Her mood improved moderately but enough to crack a smile. Liam went over to Giles and gave his grandfather a hug. Giles hugged his grandson with equal love that the other gave.

"How are you grandpa?" Liam asked nicely.

"I am well. And I see that you are too considering you two aren't arguing and are speaking to one another."

"Yes sir." Delia said coming over to hug Giles. Delia didn't really know Giles in the future. Everyone was so busy with the upcoming apocalypse. But after spending so much time in the past, she had grown onto Giles like the rest of the Scooby Gang. He was like another Watcher to her but more so than any before.

After hugging his grandfather, Liam went over to Willow and kneeled before her at the kitchen table. "And how are you Willow?" Liam asked caringly.

"A little on the mourning side. And still trying to control my powers. But other than that, great. Especially since you're here to visit." Willow replied with a little sadness in her voice.

"I'll always be here for you Aunt Willow." Liam said as he placed a kiss on Willows head and hugged her. She hugged back and felt better. Delia came over after Liam parted from Willow and she too gave her a hug, making Willow even happier.

"So Liam, what brings the both of you out here and being all nice?" Giles asked sensing that there more to this visit than just friendly faces stopping by.

"Can't we come and just visit you guys once in a while?" Liam asked trying to beat around the bush. Giles just stood sipping his tea and looking Liam. Giles could tell even when Liam needed something from him. "Alright fine. We need your help."

"Ah, there it is. Now what sort of help do you both require?"

Liam was just gonna get straight to the point. "We need your help with breaking into the Watcher's Council and stealing blood from the dragon I killed." Giles looked up from his cup of tea with shock etched on his face. Willow was just the same. As far as crazy schemes went with Liam, this one was at the top with a few others.

"Alright." Giles simply said and walked over to the kitchen table taking a seat.

"Alright?" Delia asked thinking that it was too easy.

"Yes. I'll help. Then why don't we head back to America before Willow finishes her lessons and break into Fort Knox to steal all the gold and just for kicks, break into the White House and hold the American President hostage." Giles deadpanned.

"Did it and did not do the second one for that reason, but did it." Liam said. Giles set his cup down in annoyance at Liam's half humor half-truth.

"Are you thick in the head?!" Giles yelled at Liam. "Do you honestly think that you can just break into the Watcher's Council, the most secure facility in the world, and steal from them?"

"Grandpa if you just let me…"

"Of all the most idiotic schemes you have ever come up with, this has to be the most hair brain of them all!" Giles continued his rant. "Why in God's name would you need to steal dragon's blood? For what purpose?" Liam knew that if he was going to get Giles' help, he would need to tell him and Willow the truth. The whole truth.

"Because I was in hell." Liam answered. This brought a silence to the room as both Giles and Willow starred at Liam. "When I died, that summer I was brain dead. My body was alive but my soul was in hell."

"But you said…" Willow began.

"I told you that stuff because when you did it for my mom she was in heaven. You needed to realize that if you try to pull of dark magic like you did, you needed to be absolutely sure that the soul was in hell and not in heaven. I am grateful for what you did Willow, but you still did it amateurishly." Willow sat in her seat and began to tear up.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Giles asked.

"Because I didn't want to worry you. I needed to save my family and I couldn't do that if people were feeling sorry for me and checking on me to see if I was ok."

"Liam. We are family. All of us. You can't keep something like this from us just because you want to take care of us. We should be taking care of you. Not the other way around." Giles reasoned with him.

"Why are you telling us this now?" Willow asked through some tears.

"Because of what happened while I as in hell." Liam answered. "I felt myself being pulled out by Willow's magic. The demon in charge of the hell that I was in didn't like that one of his souls was being taken from him. He threatened to send me back to hell…so I made a deal with him."

"You made…a deal?" Giles asked in disbelief.

"If I hadn't, I wouldn't have saved my family from death or my brother from hell. I had to do it for them. And for you all."

"Liam…what was the deal?"

Liam hesitated before answering. "100. I have to deliver 100 souls for my own in a year. And I only have two months left."

"Good god." Giles looked away from Liam, stunned at his grandson's revelation.

"But it doesn't stop there." Liam continued.

"You made another deal?" Willow asked.

"Two more. To ensure that the deal and everything stayed between me and him and no evil would know of me, it cost another 100 souls. He also offered me the power to save my brother and kill those who wanted to harm him. I took it without a second thought. That's how I turned into that monster that I was before."

"You mean the Van-Tal?" Giles asked.

"Yes. That was the power that the demon offered. It cost me another 50 souls in addition."

"Liam please." Giles didn't want hear any more of what Liam had to say.

"Grandpa you need to hear this."

"I don't want to." Giles stood up and walked a little away from the group and stopped, feeling his temple. "You are talking about committing mass murder to save yourself."

"So that I can save the future. But I'm not even done. There's more to this."

"Oh what? Like you have to kill babies?"

"Please tell me you aren't going to kill babies?" Willow begged.

"I plan on only killing one thing. And that's the demon that I made the deal with." Giles finally looked back at Liam. "Killing him will hopefully get me out of the contract with him."

"And stealing dragon's blood will help you?" Giles asked coming forward.

"He showed up last night. He was concerned with my progress cause I only killed 30 souls in the past year. I told him about killing the dragon. He wanted the blood. He said that he'll take off 150 souls if I deliver it. Delia and I came up with a plan to steal the blood and use it to pay off the debt for taking the power that he gave me and to give it back."

"Give it back? But I thought you got rid of it when Delia gave you the tea?" Willow asked.

"I did. But he gave it back to me last night." Liam hesitated before going on. "He gave it back to me, worse than before."

"Worse? What do you mean?" Giles asked. Liam looked at his grandfather and aunt with a sadden look before showing them. His eyes went from green to complete black. Giles stumbled back and Willow gasped. Delia looked scare and sad at the same time. She saw the eyes before but it didn't help seeing them again. It scared them all, more so for Liam. He accepted his abnormality a long time ago. But having to embrace his demon and having it mutate and become different forms made him fear even himself. His eyes went back to normal and everyone composed themselves.

"He made me worse than part demon. He made me half pure demon. A Cambion. I don't know what things I can do now and I don't want to find out. I need your help to get the blood, get rid of this thing in me, and kill them demon so I don't have to kill 120 people." Liam begged. Giles saw how Liam was hurting just but recounting what has happened to him. He had done so much good in his life and was being given horrible rewards for it. Dying, being a pure vampire, now being a pure demon. He didn't deserve it.

"Alright." Giles relented. "I help you."

"Thank you."

"Under the condition that you tell your parents about you being in hell." Giles conditioned. "You should not have kept something like that from us Liam. You will tell them when you talk to them next. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal. Sir." Liam said. Giles nodded to him

"Very well." Giles took his seat again at the table. "What will you require?"

"Delia and I have already though some of it." Both Liam and Delia took seats at the table.

"We need someone on the inside to help us get to the dragon and get the blood out." Delia said.

"How much are we going to need?" Giles asked.

"Two large crates."

Giles sighed and took off his glasses to clean them. "I would have gotten it for you if you told me it was a small vial."

"Well it's not. We need the crates."

"Did you bargain to get the demon more to cover your entire debt?" Willow asked.

"Yes. He wouldn't go for it." Delia said.

"Then what do you suppose we do?" Giles asked.

"We'll do the heist. Grandpa, we'll need you to tell us where they're keeping the dragon."

…

Everyone reconvened in Giles study around a table where Giles laid out plans of the Watchers Council. "The dragon's being kept in the lower levels of the Watcher's Council for study. In the dungeons."

"Dungeons and Dragons. Every geeks dream." Delia commented.

"Yeah. A real dream come true." Liam deadpanned and leaned on the table. "How secure is this lab or dungeon.

"Armed guards, video cameras, top level access required." Giles answered. "Not even I have access."

"Then we'll find another way."

"I could hack into the system and get you all access." Willow offered.

"Too risky Willow. The Watcher's Council is the most secure facility on the planet. After reviewing everything, it's practically impossible to get in undetected. It's simply not possible."

"Grandpa, back in the future, me and my team excelled in doing the impossible." Liam informed him.

"And the ridiculous." Delia added remembering every crazy operation they did where it was completely dangerous but in a small way…fun.

"Getting into the Council isn't a problem." Liam continued.

"How's that?" Giles asked. The couple looked at each other and pulled out their Watcher Council ID's. They showed them to Giles. Delia's had her picture on it. She was in a suit and her hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she wore glasses. Liam's was himself but his hair was red and his eyes. That way no one would suspect that he was Angelus. Giles looked at them astonished. "How did you…you know what? I don't want to know."

"Good choice." The couple said together putting their ID's away.

"Now, we have the ID's. From here, Delia and Giles will enter into the building and get into position…" Liam looked at the plans to find a spot. "Here." He pointed to a corner corridor. "It's near enough to the entrance to not draw suspicion and close enough for you all to get in."

"How are we to get in if we can't hack?" Willow asked.

"We will hack. Just not before everything happens. Grandpa, would the council have security alarms for demons?" Liam asked.

"Yes they would. Why?" Giles asked.

"Because the Council will focus mainly on a hack on their most secure part of the facility alone. So we'll provide them with something that will be a bit more important. I'll enter in as myself, in disguised of course, and set off the alarm. That'll get the attention of most of the Watchers in the building. They'll be more focused on me, which will give you and Delia time to get into the dungeon while people are heading out. No key pass required. Just get in before the doors shut. Try to get in as soon as people start pouring out."

"What comes after that?" Willow asked.

"Your cue."

"Mine?"

"Yes. You'll have already gotten into their system after the alarms have been set off and will set off an alarm in the research part of the dungeon where they are keeping the dragon. Everyone will respond and hopefully evacuate. Delia and Giles will enter and steal the blood. The council will be too busy dealing with me to notice the hack."

"Exactly how will we accomplish that without drawing suspicion? The Council are taking blood samples themselves. They'll know if some are missing." Giles said.

"They won't. We'll get our own sample from the dragon." Delia answered. "Before everything goes down, Liam will have already set a truck by the loading docks of the building. He'll put two crates in the elevator and send it down to us. We'll get them and fill up the crates. Once finished, we'll go back up the elevator to the truck, load up the truck, and I'll will ride off with the prize."

"What if the Council check to see if every one of their employees are accounted for?" Willow asked.

"That's where you'll come in. Already in the system, you'll delete mine and Delia's profiles from the system. They'll never know that we were even there."

"What of the guards who will respond to everything?" Giles asked.

"They'll be more focused on me then you." Liam said. "But in case of any stragglers are coming to check on you, Willow will block the automated doors. Preventing guards from checking the lab." Liam finished with his plan and leaned back in his chair to let Giles and Willow look over everything. Giles looked through the papers and thought about every detail of Liam's plan in search of flaws.

Giles took off his glasses and looked at Liam. "This could work." He said.

…

**August 7, 2002**

**Giles' Estate**

**Nighttime**

Everyone sat around the study table that was completely covered with papers detailing their heist. It was one day before the heist. Tomorrow was when they would pull it off. Liam was happy to be doing a heist like this. It reminded him of all the happy times he spent with his siblings in the future. Those were the most enjoyable operations they went on. Heists. It was a great opportunity to fight enemies, save the world, and completely screw someone over in one big bundle. It was like Christmas to them. Occasionally they thought that that thought made them psychopaths. They just rubbed it off and continued with the heists. Liam was so happy to be doing a heist, he had forgotten about his new demon status. Delia liked this. It had been a long time since she'd seen Liam be as giddy as he was. It was like seeing a little boy happy about playing his favorite game. She liked these moments when Liam was happy.

"Ok, so any more questions on the plan?" Liam asked for the millionth time. He wanted to make sure that there was no room for error. Murphy's Law: If it can go wrong, it will go wrong. Liam didn't want that and tried to make sure that every little detail was covered.

"Liam sweetie, we've been through this." Delia said. She liked Liam was giddy, but it got really annoying how he kept asking if there were any questions. "If we have any questions, we'll ask them."

"I have a question?" Willow raised her hand. Liam pointed to her. "Can I go to bed?"

"Yes Liam. We do this tomorrow and we are all bloody tired." Giles said rubbing his eyes. It was nearly midnight and the only person who seemed wide awake was Liam.

"Alright fine. Get some rest. Wheels up at 0930 tomorrow." Everyone nodded to him. Giles and Willow got up and left the couple in the kitchen to get some rest. Delia stayed seated and watched Liam gaze over every paper looking for any flaw he might have missed.

"Liam, you've been planning for this particular heist for four days now. Let's go to bed and we can do the heist tomorrow." Delia egged him.

"Just one more check." Liam said. "I want to make sure everything is…."

Delia got up and put her arms around Liam. "Liam, weren't you the one whole always told me that nothing can be perfect. This plan will be fine so long as you don't over think it."

"I just want…"

"Liam. No. Now either you come to bed with me and get rest or I will not participate in the heist." Delia threatened Liam. She knew that he wanted more than anything to pull off a heist. Liam bowed his head and sighed.

"Alright. I'll come to bed."

"Good." Delia took Liam's hand and led him out of the study. Liam reappeared a few seconds later.

"Just a quick…" he tried to reason.

"Now." he heard his wife's serious tone. He left the plans and went to bed with her.

…

**August 8, 2002**

**Watcher's Council**

**Morning**

Giles entered the Watcher's Building's main entrance with his ID pass. It wasn't hard for him to get in. A lot of the Watchers knew him. He greeted some of the Watchers that said hello to him like regular routine. "I do bloody well hope this works." Giles spoke into an earpiece. "I'm getting nervous just by having this thing in my ear."

…

"It's called an earpiece Giles." Willow told him. She was sitting at a nearby coffee shop and had her laptop open and was typing away, getting ready to hack. She wore a purple hoodie with the hood up to hide her face in case she was made by the Watchers and they tried to find her. It was one of Liam's precautions. "The bud will allow us to communicate with each other. How's everything looking Delia?"

…

Delia entered the Watchers Building in her business suit and pants. She wore high heels to match the suit. She had a feeling that things might get out of hand with this operation and she might have to fight or run. Thankfully through years of practice, she can do all that in high heels.

She showed her ID badge to the front gate and walked in. "Everything's fine on my end. These guys don't suspect a thing."

"_Well let's keep it that way."_ She heard Liam's voice on the channel.

…

Liam was driving the truck they would use towards the Council Building. He was wearing what he would call his work cloths. He wore a black shirt, black combat cargo pants, combat boots, his equipment belt, his father's coat, his mother's/sisters cross necklace, his Celtic Knot Amulet, and he had a bag in the passenger's seat for when things got interesting. "We've already done too much to let this blow now." he told everyone. "Everyone check in."

"_I'm just about ready to hack." _He heard Willows voice on the channel.

"_I'm nearing the rendezvous point."_ Giles spoke up.

"_Nearing position." _Delia responded.

"Alright. Let's not fuck around her boys. Let's get in, get the stuff, and get out. Quick and clean." Liam arrived at the buildings loading docks and got through the security gate. He parked the truck at one of the loading docks and turned off the ignition. He got out, placed the crates in the elevators, and snuck out of the docks, heading across the streets. He went into an alley so as not to be seen and climbed up the buildings with the duffle bag in tow. He reached the top of the buildings that surrounded the Watcher's Council. He got to the ledge and unzipped the bag. Inside was a crossbow, rope, an arrow, and a harness hook. Everything Liam need to get into the building with surprise and awesomeness. He took everything out and lastly pulled out a white hood. The white hood was a symbol of the White Hats, the team his sister started back in the future. The hoods masked their identities and told the world who they were at the same time. He hadn't worn it since Kathy's death. Now he would again for her sake. For his families sakes. He attached it to his coat via Velcro pin. He took out some face paint and put the paint over his eyes. He looked a lot like a raccoon now. That was the whole point. He was acting like a thief. He needed to look the part. He put the hood over his head so now half of his face couldn't be seen or identifiable. He loaded up the crossbow and tied the rope to the building he was perched on. He took aim at above a window. "What's everyone's ETA?"

…

Delia was fast walking to her destination. "90 seconds." She told him.

…

"I have already arrived." Giles said standing by the door that led to the dungeons. He looked around anxiously for anyone coming.

…

"I'm good to go." Willow told them. She had her finger above the last button she needed to push after Liam made his grand entrance.

…

"Alright everyone. Get ready." Liam told them. He took aim and fired the bolt. The arrow embedded itself in the opposite wall. Liam secured the rope and hooked himself on. "60 seconds." He told them looking at his watch.

…

Delia rounded a corner and saw Giles at the end of the corridor. She kept her pace so as to not draw suspicion.

…

"30 seconds Will. I'm going in 10." Liam told Willow. He had faith in his team. They weren't like the White Hats, but they came pretty damn close. Liam took his cross necklace and kissed it for good luck. He placed both his necklaces inside his shirt and counted the seconds down in his head and when he reached zero, he let himself loose and rode the zip line to the opposite building. The window he was going to crash into was bulletproof, but that didn't matter to Liam. He reached out his hand and sent a telekinetic push towards it. It did enough the break the glass a split second before Liam crashed right through it, catching many of the Watchers within the corridor off guard. Liam straightened up as the alarm sounded. Some Watchers came after Liam believing him to be a dangerous intruder. They were right. A male watcher came at him and tried to punch him. Liam redirected the blow and punched the watcher twice in the face and pushing him into the wall. Three more watchers came at him at once. Liam punched one of them and dodged a simultaneous punch and kick from the other two watchers. He punched the watcher that tried to punch him in the kneecap, sending him down. He punched the watcher that tried to kick him in the stomach. As he hunched over in pain, Liam blocked a kick from the other watcher. They both got up and knocked one watcher out with a punch and the other one with his elbow from the same arm. The watcher that he punched in the knee got up and came at Liam. Liam back kicked him, sending him down, and pulled out his tomahawk and knife, twirling them in his hands. He clasped them together and made his makeshift scythe. Another watcher came at Liam from the front. Liam flipped his scythe so the knife end was facing out and used his weapon as a club to knock the watcher out. If he had used his axe head end, he would have surely killed the man. He wasn't planning on killing anyone today. The watcher that he punched when he first crashed in came at him from behind. Liam flipped his scythe again and threw it at the watcher with the axe head pointing towards him. The axe head it him in the head, not killing him but knocking him out, and Liam summoned it back to him, just in time to punch another watcher out cold. Liam smiled at how fun this was going to feel for him and made his way through the Council building.

…

Delia had reached Giles by the time Liam had set off the alarms. So far, everything was going as planned. "I do hope that Liam can keep them all busy." Giles said sounding less than sure about everything.

"Don't worry. Liam can keep them busy long enough." Delia assured him as they made their way to the dungeons.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Liam may not admit it, but he likes being the center of attention at times. If he can't get the Watchers to pay attention to him, he'll make them." They opened the door that led to the dungeons and went down a set of stone stairs to the lower levels. "Willow, how's everything looking?"

"_I've just set off the alarm to the lower levels. People will be coming out about now."_ Willow told them. No sooner did Willow say this, that people started coming out of different doors, heading out of their perspective areas. Delia and Giles acted like they were leading them to safe areas while searching for the door that led to the dragon's research area. Giles found the door and signaled to Delia. As people were heading out, Delia and Giles slipped inside.

…

Willow typed away on her laptop. As she was hacking the Watcher's Council, a smile spread across her face. It had been awhile since she last used her computer skills and she was happy to be using them again. It felt like a meeting a long lost friend. She had been so reliable on magic that she forgot all about her skills as a tech. She felt like her old self again. Like how she was back in high school.

Willow set off different alarms in the dungeon area and made it seem like the alarms were for Liam. People evacuated from the designated areas. Finally Willow pulled up security camera images to see what was happening. She saw Giles and Delia making their way through a small crowd and she saw Liam take out a number of Watchers. So far so good.

…

Liam rounded a corner and was almost hit by a Watcher with an axe. Liam dodged it and punched the Watcher as another one came at him and he hit him with the shaft of his scythe. He looked at the bodies and saw that they weren't dressed in suits. They wore complete black clothing with black jackets and coats. Liam knew that they were the elite Watchers that were usually sent to capture rogue slayers. Now the Council was giving Liam a proper welcome. More of the same type of Watchers came after Liam. Liam blocked a punch and a kick from the watcher and backed him into the wall where he hit him in the face knocking him out. Two watchers came at him at once with daggers. Liam snaked his arm around one and kicked the other one down. A third Watcher came after him and Liam kicked him in the jaw before taking the Watcher he had snaked in his arm and ramming him into the wall. More of the elite came out and this time they had guns. They fired on Liam and he ducked behind a column. The bullets penetrated the column but didn't go through. A Watcher came around and Liam grabbed his gun, through it out of his hand and punched the Watcher a number of times making him disoriented. He snaked his scythe around his neck to hold him as a shield and kicked him into the other watchers. Liam strutted forward and as the elite started to aim their weapons, Liam used his scythe to knock the weapons out of their hands before hitting them with the shaft of his scythe. It was difficult for him to do this because he usually used the sharp ends, but it proved that Liam was still dangerous when it came to fighting. A Watcher came at Liam and he ducked the punch and used his axe head to trip the Watcher before kicking him in the face. More and more elite came after Liam and it took every bit of restraint Liam had to not kill them. Liam knocked weapons out of hands before knocking them out with his scythe, tripping them until their heads hit the grounds, punching whenever he could, ensuring that he did not kill a single man. The last man came at Liam and they fought close quarter. Liam refrained from using his scythe in this close of capacity. He hit the Watcher a number of times in the face, the gut, and in the kidneys until Liam had him hunched over and bashed his head once into wall, knocking him out and taking a bit of the wall with him. Liam looked back at the corridor and saw it riddled with bodies, thankfully all alive. He didn't long to admire his work as he had other plans to attend to.

…

Willow gaped at the footage she just saw of Liam taking on about twenty Elite Watchers and taking them all out like nothing. She was even more impressed at how he managed to do all that without killing them. "That was…amazing!" Willow told him.

"_Watch it again on your own time Will. Keep tabs on Giles and Delia." _Liam told her.

"Right." Willow checked the video footage and found Delia and Giles nearing the lab where the dragon was being held. "Ok, guys. The cameras are on a continuous loop. They'll never see you now. The Lab should be just up ahead."

"_We still need the crates." _Giles spoke up. _"Can you direct us to the lifts?"_

"Oh sure. The elevators are just to the right of the door."

…

Sure enough, Delia and Giles saw the door to the lab where the dragon was being held and looked to their right to see the elevator lifts. They walked to them and pushed the button to bring the lift down. "Willow, are there any guards heading our way?" Delia asked.

"_No. they're too busy dealing with Liam. And it looks like they will be for a while."_

"Told you he could do it." The lift stopped at their level and opened up to revealed the two crated Liam had secured. Giles and Delia each took one and head towards the lab. "Willow, can you get us access to the lab?"

"_Working."_ They waited until the red light on the access panel turned green. Delia opened the door first and saw the lab. It was huge enough to fit the dragon that was lying on a elevated platform with its wings being hung at its sides by cables. Desks and tables were filed with notes and papers and samples of the dragon. She wondered how the council could even get a dragon this big into this lab. What Delia also saw that surprised her were the six elite Watchers guarding the dragon with Assault Rifles.

"Hey, you shouldn't be here. There's an evacuation." One of the guards told her.

"Oh, sorry." Delia said in her best British accent. "I'm looking for my friend to see if she's ok."

"You need to leave. Now!" the guard told her. Delia nodded and headed out. She stood next to Giles who had an annoyed look on his face.

"This complicates things a bit." He said.

"No shit. We'll need to get in and take them out."

"Do they have guns?"

"Yes." Delia looked to Giles who looked at her with a look that said, I'm not going in there. "Fine, I'll take them out."

"Thank you." Delia nodded and opened up the door again, this time she raced in and slid behind a crate as the Watchers opened fire on her. Delia kicked the crate and it slid into the first Watcher and he tumbled over. Delia jumped over him and raced as bullets were fired at her. She scaled the wall and flipped over another Watcher. She kicked him in the back of the knee and karate chopped his neck, knocking him out. There were still four Watchers and they continued to fire on Delia. Delia ran towards them and slid underneath a table, coming up next to another elite punching him in the face, grabbing him and throwing him into the wall. Delia took his fallen rifle and threw it at the fourth watcher, hitting him in the face and knocking him out. Now there were two. As they reloaded there weapons, Delia ran up on to the platform the dragon lay, jumped off and caught onto a cable. She swung and just as the fifth Watcher aimed his rifle, jumped down, back fisted him and kicked him right into the wall, head first. Quickly thinking, Delia grabbed a tray with surgical tools on it, poured the tools out, and threw it like a Frisbee at the last watcher, hitting him in the face and sending him to the ground. The Watcher lifted his head just as the tray landed on his head again, knocking him out cold. Delia straightened herself up, fixed her glasses, and casually walked to the door, opening it for Giles who came in with one of the crates. "Well done." He complimented the slayer.

…

Willow watched everyone fight and take out Watchers with angst. It was like watching a movie and was at the very cool action part that everyone was silent for. "Wow, this is better than cable." She commented.

…

Delia and Giles bought the crates near the dragon. Giles starred in awe at the beast that he believed to be nothing but myth. "Extraordinary." He said.

"Giles, dragon gaze later. We need the blood." Delia reminded him. Giles nodded and they both got to work. Giles opened up a crate and took out four smaller crates with 24 jars in each. Delia grabbed a big suction tube and a generator and brought it over.

"Do we have to fill all of this?" Giles asked.

"Yes. Now let's get to work." Delia stuck the suction tube in the dragon and turned on the generator. It took a few seconds, then red blood started coming out of the tube and Giles put it into each of the jars, filling them up. "Man, what I wouldn't give to take a sample and study it." Delia wished.

"Maybe when we're done, you can take a sample for yourself." Giles said as he filled up jars.

…

Willow watched as Liam continued to fight Watchers and Delia and Giles got the blood form the dragon. Looks like the plan would go off without a hitch.

…

Quentin Travers entered the security room along with three other Watchers. "What the devil is going on?" he asked a man at several computer monitors, all showing them the fight Liam was in and other parts of the building.

"It appears a demon of some sort has entered into the building. We are attempting to handle the situation." The man said.

"Have there been any casualties?"

"No sir. As far as we know, the demon isn't killing anyone. He is merely knocking them out cold."

"None the less, we must fight it and kill it if we can. This thing is a menace."

"I have squads closing in on it now, sir."

"Wait a minute." They heard another watcher on monitor say. She began typing away, bringing up files and programs. "Someone is hacking the system."

"Can you identify who?" Quentin asked.

"I'll try. Whoever this bugger is, they're good."

…

Delia and Giles finished loading up the first crate and just opened up the second crate to start. All of a sudden, they heard a radio go off. "Bravo Six, what's your status? Over." Delia and Giles froze and looked to one of the unconscious Watchers. "Bravo Six, do you copy? Over."

"Oh, dear." Giles said.

…

Willow's laptop began to act up as she realized that she had been made. "Oh man." She said knowing what would come next.

…

"Liam rounded a corner, only to be met by a dozen Elite with assault rifles pointing at him. He turned and saw more men guard every possible exit. He was trapped. "Oh crap."

**Here is the end. Next one will be up in a short bit. After the next one, we get back to Buffy and the rest. After reviewing everything, fair warning, this story may be longer than my other two. Even possibly being longer than the two combined. I'll try to not let that happen if I can help it. Comment and Review.**


	3. Deal or No Deal

Chapter 3: Deal or No Deal

**August 8, 2002**

**London, England**

**Watcher Council Security Room**

Quentin Travers was in the security room looking at the monitors and his IT specialists, trying to contain the situation of some demon that broke into the Watchers Council. The most secure facility in all of the world. Also a hacker was hacking them and doing things to cause them even more trouble. He didn't know what was going on, but he was determined to get to the bottom of it.

"Sir, I've got them." A female of the IT specialists said. Quentin went over the women that called him and leaned over her shoulder to look at the screen. "I've managed to isolate they're location. Here." She pointed on the screen to a coffee shop that was just a couple blocks away.

"Get men to that location and get me that hacker." Quentin told the head of security. The man nodded and called it in on his radio. "Can you stop him from hacking us?" Quentin asked.

"That and more." The tech said.

…

Willow was still looking at her computer that apparently wasn't allowing her to do anything. She knew that the Council figured it out and knew that it was her doing everything. "Guys, I've been made. The council knows it's me." Willow told them. She received no response. "Guys?"

…

"Little busy her Willow." Delia said as she and Giles hurried to get the remaining blood they needed from the dragon without letting any spill out. "We have guards unconscious here not answering their radios. I think we'll have company just like you."

"God allow us to get this blood and get out before they arrive." Giles prayed as he kept filling up jars.

…

"I can't do anything to help you guys out." Willow told them. "They locked me out of my own computer. I can't do anything."

"_We'll figure something out. Just hang in there."_ Delia told her over the radio. _"Liam, care to give us your input?" _They received no reply. _"Liam? Liam are you there?"_

"Liam?" Willow asked but she didn't get anything.

…

Liam was surrounded on three sides by Elite Watchers, all pointing guns at him. He had nowhere to run to. The only good thing about the situation he was in was that his white hood hid his identity so they couldn't tie them back to his parents, and the black paint over his eyes prevented that even further. But unfortunately, that would most likely change with the recent developments. He heard the whole conversation about Willow being made and Watchers on their way to Delia and Giles. He needed to get out.

"Mr. Travers, we've cornered the demon in the West Wing." One of the Watchers told on his radio.

"I don't suppose you fella's wanna talk about this?" Liam asked them.

"_Good. Eliminate the threat." _Travers told the team over the radio.

"Guess not." The line of Watchers in front of Liam readied their weapons. The two lines on either side of Liam, blocking his only routes of escape out of the corridor backed off just a little so that they wouldn't get hit by bullets. Liam had only one way out, he didn't want to do it until he was in a situation like the one he was in now.

The Watchers aimed their rifles and had their fingers on the triggers, ready to fire. Liam raised his hands cautiously and dropped his scythe. Just as it hit the ground, Liam brought his hands to the center of his chest and thrust them outward, sending out a telekinetic blast and for a brief second, Liam's eyes turned complete black. He expected all the watchers to be thrown off their feet and land a foot or two away from where they use to stand, giving Liam time to escape. But that didn't happen. The telekinetic blast was so powerful that it knocked every Watcher clean off their feet's and hurtled them back about a dozen or so yards. Wall tables, plants, paintings, and carpets flew away from the epicenter as well. Liam stood up and looked dumbfounded at what happened. He didn't use a lot of power in that blast. Or he didn't mean to anyway. Every Watcher seemed to be knocked out by the blast. Liam lifted his hands and looked at them, confused of where that power came from. He shrugged it off and kicked up his scythe, catching it and went down another corridor to escape the area.

"Sorry, guys. Got held up." Liam told them over the radio.

"_About bloody time." _Liam heard his grandfather say.

"_Liam we could really use so help here. Willow's been compromised and if someone doesn't do something with the guards coming our way, so are we." _Delia explained too.

"Ok, listen up. Willow, I want you to get out of there, now. Take the laptop, find a furnace or a stove or someplace that can cook that thing and burn it to a crisp. Leave no trace." Liam gave the order.

"_What?! But this is my laptop. It…it...it's where I shop and communicate with friends and hack all that." _Willow Complained.

"Willow, I don't care if you have the map that leads to the Ark of the Covenant on there. Get out and burn that thing before they find you. They're on their way now."

…

Willow sighed sadly and did what Liam told her. She closed up the laptop and headed out of the coffee shop, very casual like. She didn't want to draw too much attention to herself but she was very anxious and worried. She was worried that she might get caught, then she was worried that if she was she would use magic, then she was worried that if she was caught and did magic, she would hurt somebody. All this worrying made her even more anxious.

A group of three Elite Watchers came around the opposite corner of the coffee shop Willow just left and went in. Willow turned around and saw them go in. Willow looked straight again and kept her head down and her purple hoodie up so as to not draw attention. The Watchers came out and looked around. Willow looked back again at them. They saw her and concluded the obvious. Willow turned and ran. The Watchers went after her. "Liam, they're after me." Willow told him frantically.

"_Ok. Find a restaurant. Specifically one that cooks pizza or fancy food." _Liam told her, Willow didn't know why Liam would want her to get something to eat at a time like this.

"Liam, I'm right now running for my life." Willow looked back and saw the Watchers hot on her tale. She maneuvered around the crowd of people on the sidewalk while the Watchers just pushed people out of the way. "I don't think food is an option here."

"_Find a restaurant and throw the laptop into the stove. Even if the Council gets you, they won't have anything to tie you to the hack."_

"But they know me already. They'll know that I do that stuff."

"_Then just keep running and duck out of sight when you have the chance."_ Liam gave all of his advice and left the rest to Willow. Willow however was more focused on getting away then throwing her laptop away. But she had to do it if she would get out of this chase alive. To her luck, she turned a corner and saw a pizza place. She went in and ran to the back, with the Elite in tow. Willow ran to the kitchen and found the stove. She ran to it, nearly knocking a waiter over, opened up the oven and threw her laptop inside, closed it and ran again. The Watchers came in and ran past the oven, knocking over people to get to Willow. They ran back out of the kitchen and out of the restaurant. They stopped when at their feet was the purple hoodie that Willow was wearing before, lying on the ground. One of the Watchers picked it up to examine it and threw it on the ground in frustration. In a nearby crowd, Willow, now hoodless, was walking casually and looked back for a brief second to see the Watchers all looking angry. Willow turned away and smiled a mischievous and proud smile. She just hacked into the Watcher's Council, ran from them, and lost them, all without doing magic.

…

Liam was running through the corridors of the Watcher's Council trying to find a way to the dungeons. Every time he entered the building, he always took a specific root to the library, but he never realized how incredibly large the building actually was. He had been running so much he didn't recognize the place that he was in. He didn't even know if he was still in the Council Building. He never actually planned to take a direct root throughout the building. He just needed to be the mouse that the building full of cats were after.

Liam rounded another corner and came upon a place that he finally recognized. It was the corridor that led to the large double oak doors to the Grand Library. Liam ran and stopped short of the doors, looking upon them. His starring was interrupted as a group of Watchers came from a round a corner to his left and aimed their weapons. Thinking quickly, Liam ducked right into the Library and closed the doors, narrowly missing the barrage of bullets. Liam took in a well needed breathe and gazed upon the Grand Library. He had been in it many time before, but each time still amazed him. The Grand Library was in fact that. Grand. If Liam could, he could fit three Hyperion's into the Library. It had at least 3 levels full of books and the library itself seemed to go one for like a mile or so. Bookshelves were at least 12 shelves tall. Study tables were placed in the center of the library from end to end and in the dead center was a seal on the ground showing a pattern of a woman holding stake, fighting off a number of vampires. At the corners of the seal were two men and two women, watching the slayer do battle. Liam was too busy marveling over the library that he had forgotten about the Watchers on the other side of the door trying to get in. They were banging on the door. Liam shook himself awake and took a table, shoving it against the doors and ran to hide. Liam ran and looked about for a place to lay low. He stopped short and looked up. Thinking that the Watchers wouldn't be thinking of looking on the upper levels just yet, Liam started climbing up the columns to the upper level. He was just about to get over the banister to the third level when the doors to the library opened up and Elite Watchers came in searching.

"Look for it. It couldn't have gotten far." Liam heard one Watcher say.

"It's the Grand Library. He could be hiding anywhere, Sir." He heard another.

"Well fan out and find him then. Travers won't like it if a demon entered the building and stole one of our books under our noses. Call in reinforcements if you need to." Liam quietly hauled himself over the banister and crouched down. He didn't want to take any chances with someone looking up and seeing him. Liam walked slowly along the level he was on, trying to keep out of sight. He heard more doors open and Watchers coming in. "Check the upper levels. He might be hiding up there." Liam heard the leader say. He summed that he may have at least ten minutes before a Watcher got onto his level. Liam decided to pick up the pace to find a hiding spot. He didn't want to set a fight off in the library where all the books were practically used as cover. Delia would never forgive him if any of the books were harmed. She loved all of the old books. Maybe Liam could grab one and give it to her as a present for her birthday.

Liam was crouch walking, listening to the Watchers' conversations below, when his eavesdropping was interrupted by a sound he never expected to hear that made him jump. He heard a little girl's laughter that echoed throughout the library. Liam looked down over the banister at the Watcher's, but they didn't give any indication that they heard the laughter. It was as if only Liam could hear her. Liam decided to follow the laughter, but it seemed to be originating from everywhere. Then Liam saw her. With a familiar looking appearance to Liam, he saw a little girl with brunette hair in a white dress running bare foot away from Liam and ducking behind a bookcase. Liam followed her and looked to see no one behind the bookcase. He heard the laughter and looked around, seeing the girl running the other direction. Liam took off at a silent run to catch the girl. She hid behind a column and Liam looked do find no one. Liam didn't know one which to be. Frustrated or crazy. This little girl who he could only hear was running and disappearing every direction Liam turned. Then he saw her again. This time on the same level, but on the other side of the library. Liam was confused of how she could get from where he was to the other side of the library in seconds. Liam wanted to catch up to her but it would take time to go all the around. He leaned of the banister to see how far up he was. Then he looked behind him and backup until he was right up against the wall between to bookcases. Liam counted in his head and took off at full speed. He used the banister as a stepped and leaped across the library from one level to the next. Liam started to fall and realized that he wasn't going to make the jump. Then he remembered he still had his scythe. Just as he missed the other banister, Liam used his scythe as a hook to latch on. The scythe and banister clanged, sending a slight echo out, making the Watchers turn their heads. Liam hauled himself up before anyone got eyes on him.

Liam searched for the girl, wondering why he was wasting so much time looking for her. Then he heard the same laughter and her running just a few feet away for him. Liam ran after her, hoping this time he would catch her. She went behind another column just as Liam had hand out to grab her. He looked and she was gone. Liam swore silently at this ridiculous game of hide and go seek he apparently entered. Then he heard the laughter again right behind him and Liam whirled around to stare at nothing but the little space between two bookcases. Liam decided to forget the girl and leave to help Delia and Giles. He turned to go, but then heard a thump. He looked back at the area and saw a book that had fallen from the bookcase, lying neatly on a table. Liam wasn't really a neat freak but if something fell, Liam always sought to put it back. He went over to the book, but before he even touched it, the book flew open and the pages turned as if a powerful wind was blowing on them. Liam stepped back as the pages turned, until they stopped at a particular section of the book that got Liam's attention. On one page was a section about a topic Liam was searching for. He stepped forward and lowered his hood, setting his scythe down on the table and looked at the book. At the top of the page were the words in calligraphy, _Orb of Danzalthar._ Liam stared at the book that he and Delia had been trying to find for three months. But what really caught Liam's attention was not just the page that he found the Orb, but the picture that detailed its power on the page proceeding it. It was a detailed black and white drawn picture of four men on horseback. The first horsemen was riding a white horse and carried with him, a bow. The second horsemen rode a darker colored horse and carried with him, a large sword. The third horsemen rode a black horse and carried with him, a pair of scales. The fourth horsemen rode a grey colored horse and carried with him, a scythe. Liam instantly knew who they were. The Four Horsemen to the Apocalypse. It would make sense. War, Famine, Pestilence, Conquest, and Death reached to the far corners of the world when the apocalypse struck in his time. Why he didn't see that it was the horsemen he didn't know. He looked at the picture more and saw that the horsemen were riding across the land and below them were dead and dying bodies. To the side of Death's horse following, was a wolf. To the side of Conquest or Pestilence's horse was a destroyed forest and in it stood a deer. Behind the horsemen was a mountain and near the top was a ram. Liam made the connection immediately. The Wolf, The Ram, and The Hart. That too made sense. They would initiate it. On top of the mountain stood three figures, all had their hands up and were holding a glowing ball. That was the Orb. And Liam saw to the right of the orb, the moon or some other ball in the sky, both acting as evil eyes watching the carnage before humankind.

Liam didn't have time to examine the rest of the book, as he heard footsteps approaching him. They were so near that if Liam were to leave now, he would definitely expose himself. He lifted up his hood and placed the book in his coat pocket. He grabbed his scythe and waited. He crouched down on the wall and listened to the sound of footsteps inching nearer. The Watchers were moving along the level looking in between each bookcase, searching for Liam. Liam held his position until he saw the Watchers shoulder appeared from around the corner. Liam ran out from his spot and pushed the Watcher down, stepping onto the banister and leaping off of it, flipping in the air and landing feet first on a table. All of that alerted the attention of the Watchers in the Library.

"There it is!"

"Get him!" Liam ran off the table and slid underneath another to avoid gunfire. Luckily he facing the exit and the bullets hit the door, not the books. Liam hopped over another table and ran, zig zagging his way like a football player to avoid the bullets.

"He's heading for the doors!"

"Close them!" the doors to the Library were closing on Liam by Watchers on the other side. Liam ran faster to reach it. Thankfully they stopped firing at him, only so that they could kill him when the doors closed. Liam realized that he wasn't going to make it. The doors were nearly closed and Liam was only half way there. He needed more time. Thinking quickly, Liam threw his scythe like a Frisbee and it embedded itself in between the door gap, just as they were almost closed. The Watchers tried closing the door but couldn't. Liam ran harder and slid on his knees, going under his scythe and grabbing it as the doors closed. Liam knocked over a few more Watchers and ran before they even processed what had happened.

"Delia, you still there?" Liam asked over the radio.

"_Still here. Where the fuck have you been? Guards are coming our way."_ Delia said.

"I was chasing a girl, but I'm on my way now."

"_A girl!? What girl?"_

"Relax. I'm not even sure she was real. But even if she was, she was just a little girl."

"_Oh. Well get down to the dungeons quick. We're almost done with the last crate."_

"On my way. Willow, you good?"

"_Yeah. Lost them."_ Liam heard Willow's voice. _"That was really exciting."_

"Now you know why I like doing this. Alright, get to a safe place and we'll meet up with you soon. Liam, out" Liam made his way down a few corridors looking for the way to the dungeons. They had what they came for and more, unexpectedly. Now it was time to go and settle everything else.

…

Delia and Giles were hurrying to get the remaining blood from the dragon. Or at least Giles was. Delia was by the door, peering out, looking for the guards that were coming for them. They were about three quarters of the way through with the last crate.

"You know, some help would be appreciated." Giles said as he held the tube and filled up another jar. "It would go a lot faster."

"Hey, if someone doesn't keep watch and take out guards without them knowing and doesn't caught and lose 'his' job, then I would be more than happy to do it for you." Delia told him and looked over at his progress. "Besides, you're almost done."

"Thank you." Giles said sarcastically. He continued filling up jars as Delia kept watch. He felt a sort of familiarity as he remembered the countless times he researched while the Scoobies usually did whatever it was they did best at. It actually gave him a smile thinking back to the good ol' days. Giles finished the last jar and dropped the suction tube. "Alright, I'm done." Giles started packing up the crate

"Good, cause I can hear the guards getting closer." Delia told him. Giles' head shot up with worry at the thought of being caught and losing his job again, or worse.

"Do you have a plan on getting out?" He asked her. Delia closed the door and turned to face him.

"Yes. I'm gonna go out when they arrive and beat them to death." She told him.

"Ah, yes. That plan usually works." Giles said a little sarcastically but more serious. Delia gave him a smug look and turned back to the door. She took off her glasses and readied herself. Just as she was about to grip the handle to the door, she reeled back as the door gave a considerable bang as if someone of something was knocked against it. "What was that?" Giles asked.

"Don't know." Delia cautiously opened the door and stepped aside as an unconscious body fell to her feet. She looked out and saw the patrol guards, all unconscious and a white hooded, dark clothed figure standing over them with a makeshift scythe in hand. The figure took the hood off himself and detached it from his coat. It was Liam. Delia hadn't recognized him because it had been so long since she ever saw anyone in a white hood. What really confused her was the paint on his eyes. "What's with the paint?"

"Matches my eyes." Liam joked and smiled. "You ok?"

"Better now. We got the blood."

"Let's move." Liam placed his hood in his pocket and went into the lab to help the others move the blood. They packed up the crates and placed them on trolleys, moving them out of the lab and heading towards the lifts to their right. "So what did you do while we got 'your' blood?" Delia asked Liam.

"Oh you know. Broke in, knocked out a few Watchers, set off the alarm, and chased a little girl through a library." Liam summed it up.

"A little girl?" Giles asked.

"Yeah. Strangest thing. She was laughing and running and disappearing every time I got close to her. And it seemed like I could only hear her. There were Watchers nearby and they didn't even notice the girl. Grandpa, have there been any rumors or stories about a ghost in the library?"

"Not to my knowledge. Are you sure you weren't hallucinating?"

Liam gave his grandfather a look. "Gramps, I admit that I'm crazy. But not that crazy."

"I can vogue for that." Delia said as they arrived at the lifts. They set down the trolleys with the crates and pushed the lift button. Giles sighed and placed his hands in his pockets.

"I guess this is where we part ways." Giles said looking at his grandson. Liam looked back at him.

"Guess so." Liam said. They both smiled at each other. "Thank you grandpa."

"Just make sure that you kill that demon. It was hard enough having you dead the first time."

"Don't worry. I intend to live through this." They both shook hands and enveloped each other in a hug.

They parted from each other. "I shall go up and acted as if I have no idea what's happening." Giles said.

"We'll get this stuff out and meet you back at your place later today." Delia said. Everyone nodded and Giles went down the hall to go back up. Liam and Delia turned back to the lift, waiting for it to come down. "So a little girl hunh?"

"What?" Liam asked, at first not knowing what Delia was talking about.

"The girl. A friendly ghost girl?"

"Don't know about ghost, but she was friendly."

"How would you know if she always disappeared?"

"Because she led me to this." Liam pulled out the book he found and handed it to Delia. She took it and opened it up. "Middle of the book." Delia flipped through the pages until she landed at the middle of the book where she saw the passage about the Orb and the picture of the Four Horsemen. Her eyes grew wide in shock.

"Oh my god."

"Not even close."

"You found it." Delia said looking at him. All their time spent in England had finally paid off.

"_Liam. Delia. Are you two there?"_ the heard Giles' voice over the radio.

"We're here Grandpa. What's up?"

"_Listen. I just dodged another patrol heading your way. You need to get out of here as soon as possible. They be there within seconds."_ Liam and Delia starred at each other as they started to hear footsteps. The doors to the lift opened and Liam and Delia quickly tried to move the first trolley on. They only managed to pick it up and move it across the little space when they patrol entered the hall and spotted them.

"Here! They're here!"

"Shit." Liam and Delia said together.

"You get the crates on, I'll deal with these guys." Liam told her. Delia nodded and Liam left the lift to take the guards. He hopped over the second crate and ran at them with full speed. Liam rammed into one of the guards, causing him to fly a few feet away. He then used his scythe to trip another guard and kicked his face, knocking him out. That was two down and four to go. Liam ran and scaled the wall, hooking his arm around a guards neck and throwing him over his back, head first to the ground. He got up and blocked a Watchers rifle but from hitting him and head-butted the man. Liam tossed his scythe to another Watcher who caught it and rammed his foot into his gut, making him hunch over. Liam then kicked him in the face and caught his scythe again. He swung his scythe and caught the guards arm in a hook, flinging him into the wall and Liam rammed his body into his, knocking him out for good. Liam looked over the bodies and saw they were all dealt with and walked away.

Delia had finished loading the crates onto the lift and was waiting for Liam. She looked at him with a raised eyebrow and smirky smile while Liam smiled in pride. "I think you enjoy kicking ass more than you should." Delia told him.

"What could be better?" Liam asked.

"Making love?"

"Fair point." Liam was about five feet away when a guard that he hadn't knocked out completely attacked him from behind. He grabbed onto Liam and attempted to choke hold him. Delia was surprised and ran at the Watcher, grabbing him and throwing him off of Liam. She went towards him but the man withdrew a knife and Delia stopped She didn't have any weapons to use but that usually didn't stop her from winning a fight. The man rushed her and attempted to stab her a few times. Delia dodged every blow and even landed a punch to the man's face. The guard staggered back and tried stabbing Delia again. She just narrowly got out of the way but the tip of the knife scraped her arm. Delia yelped a little in pain and that got Liam angry. He rushed at the Watcher and tackled him to the ground. They wrestled before the guard elbowed Liam and got up. He tried to stab Liam, but Delia jumped on his back, just as he did with Liam, and they wrestled. But this man was bigger than she was and threw her off. He took his knife and raised it to stab her in the stomach. "NO!" Liam got to his knees and thrust his arm out to send a telekinetic push. But instead, a stream of dark black smoke erupted from his arm and Liam's eyes turned complete black. The smoke caught the guard and hurled him up against the wall, suspending him a few feet off the ground. The man screamed in pain as the smoke from Liam hit his body. Delia starred in shock at what was happening. She looked to Liam to see his dark eyes and saw nothing with in them. Liam didn't look like he wanted to let up. The man continued to scream as his body started to burn from his center and made its way to rest. His skin burned away and then his skeleton. When Liam finally stopped, all that was left of the man were the scorch marks from where he was suspended from. Liam got to his feet and starred at the mark with a stern look. Then his eyes turned back to normal and Liam shook his head. He starred at the wall and then starred at his own hands. Delia starred at Liam and finally saw his green eyes and what they said. Liam was in shock and his eyes were filled with fear and shock. Liam just saw what his new demon could do, and was terrified of it. Delia got up and cautiously moved towards Liam.

"Liam?" she placed a careful hand on his shoulder. Liam didn't register her. "Liam." Delia turned his face to meet hers and saw just how terrified he was. She felt so much pity for him. Then she heard the sound of more guards coming. "Liam we need to move. Now." She grabbed Liam and dragged him to the lifts where they rode them up the docking bay and packed the crates into the truck. Delia took the driver's seat and Liam took the passengers. She drove out of the gate and headed out of the city. Delia paid attention to the rode while Liam paid attention to his hands. It was terrifying once for Liam to be able to turn into a monster before, but this….this was a whole new level of scary Liam didn't want to explore.

…

Later that day, Delia, Giles, and Willow were all sitting in Giles' sitting room at his estate. After they had picked up Willow and waited for Giles to return from dealing with the Watcher's Council, Delia told them about what Liam did. Liam himself had gone up to one of the vacant bedrooms and hadn't been heard from since then. Both Willow and Giles were shocked at the story Delia told them.

"It was like…something out of a horror story." Delia told them. Her expression was that of fear like Liam's was but it couldn't be a good comparison. "For a brief second, he was like a whole new Liam. Like….like…" Delia couldn't find the right word for him.

"Evil." Willow finished for her. Delia looked away from her, not liking her answer but knowing it was true.

"Did Liam know what he was doing at first?" Giles asked with concern.

"No. He saw that was going to be stabbed and attacked. Oh god. Guys…" A few tears leaked from Delia's eyes. "You should have seen him. He…he looked like a little boy, he was so scared."

"I would have been too. I mean…I've been there." Willow said trying to sound comforting, remembering her time as Dark Willow. "Even the witches in the coven are scared of me and what I can do. I'm scared of me and what I can do." Delia shook her head.

"No. No. Willow this is different. All your life, you had an ok one. You had friends, family, and learned to become a powerful witch on your own. Liam…" Delia sniffled as she retold the tragic story that was Liam's life. She felt so much pity for him. All his life was nothing but sadness and darkness. Very few times did he have anything good happen to him. "Liam lost his entire family and all of it happened right in front of him and he couldn't do anything about it. He didn't have the normal life anyone grew up with and since he came back, it's like one darkness after another tortures him. He has had so much dealt to him and evil likes to pick on him for that." Delia looked to Willow with an expression of sadness on her face. "He didn't do anything to deserve the torture he's gone through and no matter how much good he does…he still suffers so much." Everyone felt a wave of sympathy and remorse for Liam. He was diffidently like his father in doing so much good and having hell be brought down upon him, the only difference was that Liam never started out evil so to seek redemption. He had been trying to do good from the start and it seemed like God didn't want to give him a break from it all.

"Hopefully after this deal, Liam will be free of the curse that he had been given." Giles wished hopefully. That was another thing Liam and Angel had in common. A curse placed on them. The difference between that is that Angel's curse keeps him good. Liam's curse constantly makes him seem evil.

"Hopefully." Delia agreed. They heard someone coming down the stairs and looked up to see Liam looking at them all with a serious face.

"Let's get this over with." He said.

…

Liam was driving the truck now alone. He drove it through the streets of London until he found his destination. An old abandoned warehouse where he would make the deal. Liam turned the truck into a narrow alley that just barely fit the tuck and parked it. He got out and went to the back of the truck.

"Alastair." Liam called for the demon. "Alastair. Come on out you son of a bitch." Alastair appeared before Liam, still wearing that smirky smile Liam hated so much.

"Liam. Called to pay off the rest of your debt?" Alastair asked.

"Close." Liam turned to the truck and opened the back, revealing the crates of blood. "Two crates of dragons blood. Just as promised." Alastair walked forward and looked at the crates.

"How do I know that this is the real deal and not so knock off?" Liam hoped onto the truck and opened one of the crates, taking out a jar and tossing it to Alastair. Alastair caught the blood and unscrewed the top, dipping his finger in the blood and licking it off. "Real stuff. Nice work."

"Thanks." Liam hopped off the truck and starred at Alastair. "If you don't mind me asking, what do you need the blood for anyway? What can it do?"

"Why would I tell you?"

"Because I risked my life breaking into a high secure facility just nab this stuff. I believe you owe me at least that much."

"Very well. If you must know, dragon blood is highly demanded amongst those who know of it's qualities."

"Like what?"

"Some say its poison. I obviously proved that wrong. But it's also said that the blood of a dragon can be forged into and type of indestructible weapon."

"Blood can't be forged into metal." Liam pointed out.

"No. But you can dip the metal into the blood and the metal soaks up the blood, making it invincible. Dragons blood also has a quality that not a lot of people know of."

"Like what?"

"Like that fact that the blood of a dragon can kill almost anything."

"It can what now?"

"You heard me. Kill anything. Demons, vampires, many forms of the forces of darkness, celestial higher beings. You name it. If it has form, nine times out of ten, this blood will kill it."

"Wow. Now I'm kinda thinking of stealing it from you." Liam said sounding impressed. To have a weapon that could kill anything would prove useful in his fight. Had he'd known, he could acquire it in the future and used it to fight back the demon army that swept the world.

"Sorry ducky. Unless you want to kill 270 people, I keep all of the blood."

"So now your end."

"Right. Just as I promised. 150 souls knocked off your debt."

"That's not it. Here's a new deal. The 150 souls knocked off, 50 covers my debt for bowering the power boost you gave me, another 50 is used to pay you to take back the power, and rest goes towards my debt. Those are the terms if you want the blood." Liam stated his demands and waited for Alastair's response. Alastair looked at the jar in his hand, the crates in the truck, and back at Liam, thinking about the terms.

Alastair nodded to Liam. "No deal."

"What?!" Liam didn't know why Alastair denied it. It was a good deal.

"See," Alastair made a straining gesture and sighs. "I want to…..but I can't."

"You lying sack of…"

"I get off on watching people suffer. But I also like to see every part of a deal end all the same time. So, I'll take back the power, if you get me the 120 souls you have left."

"Or…or…how about I kill you right her and now?" Liam proposed.

"Seconded." Alastair looked to his left to see Delia, Giles and Willow entering the alley carrying weapons. Giles carried a broad axe, Willow carried a crossbow, and Delia carried her personal sword. Alastair smiled an evil smile and looked at Liam.

"Brought the cavalry have you?" he asked.

"Better." Liam responded with a smile. Alastair didn't look at all fazed. Then he let out a sharp whistle. Everyone heard a growl coming from the entrance into the alley. They turned to see nothing there but they could diffidently hear something.

"What is that?" Willow asked looking scared.

"I'm not sure." Giles said looking around.

"A hellhound." Liam breathed in shock. Delia looked at him and saw that he was starring in one direction.

"Liam can you see it?" Delia asked. Liam looked back at Alastair who smiled.

"Because you are now part demon, you can see exactly what they look like." Alastair replied.

"Hellhounds? But the last one we faced, it was visible." Giles said.

"That must have been a mutt. This one's a purebred. Straight out of the chains from the gates to hell." Alastair looked back at Liam. "So, new deal. You get me my souls in the next two months, or you become puppy chow now. So what's it gonna be?" Liam looked from Alastair to his family to the hellhound that he could see. It stood taller than your average dog and twice as big. It had glowing red eyes and its body was made of complete black smoke. Liam could see its fanged teeth and its sharp claws, looking ready to attack at a moment's notice. Liam then looked back at Delia who nodded to him. Liam got the message and nodded back.

"How about a counter proposal?" Liam said looking at Alastair. "How about I kill you and free myself from everything?" Liam pulled out his knife and tried to stab Alastair but the demon grabbed his wrist just two inches from his chest.

"Or not." Liam grabbed his tomahawk and tried to chop at Alastair but he blocked it and pushed Liam back, breaking through the doors leading into the warehouse. Liam fell on his back and gowned. Alastair straightened himself and looked at the family. He casually walked to the warehouse doors with a smile and stopped short, looking back at the family. "And FYI in case you all can't see…mine's bigger than your average dog." Alastair chuckled. "SICK EM' BOY!" the family turned back to the barking invisible dog, just in time for it to grab a hold of Giles' leg and pull him down.

"Giles!" Willow screamed. Delia rushed forward and swung her sword at apparently nothing but hit something. The dog whimpered and let go of Giles. Giles grunted in pain as the dog had bitten him and left a large bleeding bite mark. Willow came over and helped Delia carry Giles away from the beast. The hellhound growled at them and lunged forward, pouncing on Delia. She used her sword to stop the dogs bite and held its throat. She couldn't see it, but she could diffidently smell its foul dog breath that reeked of sulfur, burning flesh, and anything else that could make Delia sick to her stomach. Delia held her sword and the dog to stop it from ripping her to shreds.

…

Alastair had entered the warehouse where he flung Liam before and looked around. He didn't see him anywhere. He kept looking but there wasn't much in the warehouse to hide from Alastair. He walked forward searching every corner that he could see to find Liam. "So is this what you come to now? Hiding and running away from your fate?" Alastair asked to the air.

"My fate is my own." he heard Liam's voice respond from everywhere. "And I don't want it to end by going back to your hell."

"Oh come on. Not even after all the fun times we had?"

"It was a place of misery and torture. I didn't even think a hell like that could even exist."

"Well it does as you've seen firsthand. And I'm offering you a chance to not go back. Just simply agree get me my souls and I'll forget about all of this." Alastair walked to the center of the warehouse and stopped. Right above him on one of the beams, Liam was perched with his scythe out and ready, looking down on Alastair like a hawk hovering over its prey.

"Counter proposal." Liam said. "How about I kill you and forget everything that happened here?" Liam jumped down, scythe raised, ready to strike Alastair. But Alastair knew Liam was above him and sidestepped him. The scythe embedded in the ground and Liam took it out, swinging it and missing Alastair again. Alastair punched Liam, hard. Liam flew back and lost his scythe in the process. Alastair walked over and picked it up. He examined it and looked impressed by it.

"Nice toy. Mind if I borrow it?" Liam rushed at Alastair and narrowly dodged a swing from his own scythe. Liam rolled and kicked Alastair in the back of the knees, sending him down. Liam made to grab the scythe from Alastair's hands but the demon flew his hand out and sent Liam hurtling back. Liam landed on his back and slid. Alastair got to his feet and walked forward. Liam rolled onto all fours. "And to think that this wasn't good investment. Not only do I get souls and blood, but I also get the souls of your friends out there and yours for the taking. It may not have been the outcome of this deal that I expected, but it's diffidently better."

"Better than this?" Liam straightened up on his feet facing Alastair with his eyes now complete black.

"Ooo. Scary." Alastair deadpanned. Liam thrust his arms out and sent a wind of black smoke towards Alastair. It hit Alastair square in the chest and hurled him back. Liam stopped when Alastair rolled on the ground and didn't move. Liam's eyes went back to normal and he walked forward. Just as he came to Alastair's still form, Alastair's eyes shot open and stabbed Liam in the stomach with the knife end of his own scythe, directly opposite from where Sahjhan's scar was. "Made you look." Alastair took the scythe out, flipped it and hit Liam over the head with the axe head. Liam flew back and groaned as he hit the ground. He now had a knife wound and a deep cut along his head. The blow gave him a serious concussion. He was dizzy and saw his whole vision blurry and moving like how one would see after spinning around so many times. Alastair came up to Liam with Liam's scythe in hand. "Would you look at that?" Liam looked in the direction of the voice, but he was dizzy he could barely make out Alastair's form. "Time to pay up. But first, reprimand for breaking your contract." Alastair took the scythe in both of this hands and raised it, ready to deliver as much pain to Liam before killing him.

…

Delia finally managed to kick the hellhound off of her and got to her feet. She couldn't see the hound but she could diffidently hear its growling. She listened carefully to the growls and tried to picture out where the dog was.

"Delia, Giles needs help." Willow told her as she tried to stop Giles bleeding bite mark. Delia needed to finish this up quick if any of them were going to get out of this alive. She heard the dog bark and she pictured it facing her. Then she heard it bark at Willow who yelped. The dog was going after her next. Delia made a calculated assumption and lunged forward, grabbing hold of the dog and entered into a rodeo with the dog. She gripped to stay on and try to suffocate the beast, but it was too strong. It knocked Delia off of it and barked loud at her. It was pissed off now and Delia wanted that. She wanted the dog to pay more attention to her then Willow and Giles.

"Willow, heal Giles if you can." Delia gave the order and turned and ran.

"Wait. What?" Willow asked, but Delia had jumped onto the truck and jumped off on the other side. The dog followed her, jumping up high and landing hard on the roof, making a huge dent. Delia turned around and had her sword raised for the beast. The alley was so narrow that the truck took up nearly the whole space between the warehouse and the other building. Delia and the dog were cornered on four sides by the walls on the front of the truck. Delia wanted this. What she didn't want was what came next. The dog had jumped off of the truck's roof and lunged at her, knocking her off of her feet. Delia swung her sword aimlessly at nothing, getting the dog with every other swing but not killing it. When she drew back to deliver another blow, the dog pinned her arm on the ground and ripped at her other arm, tearing her clothing and her flesh, spraying some blood on her face. Delia screamed in pain and kicked the dog off of her. She held her wound which was bleeding profusely and got to her feet. The dog barked and growled at her as she stood her ground. She could feel the dog moving forward and she backed away. The dog was cornering her more. Making her easier to kill. Delia knew she wouldn't make it of this easily. She was severely wounded and in just two minutes was tired already from fighting the hellhound.

The dog and barked and growled at her some more. Delia knew it was about to attack and she didn't have any way of defending herself against something she couldn't see. But that didn't stop her from any attacks she could deliver. She remembered an old slayer technique from her training days and decide to play it. Delia closed her eyes and let go of her wound, holding her sword with both hands, ignoring the pain in her arm is caused, and let her inner slayer take over. Everything happened in a matter of a few seconds but to Delia, it was longer. She had raised her sword, ready to strike as the dog lunged forward at her. Delia turned her sword around in her hands to stab the dog and flew back into the alley wall from the force of the dog pouncing on her. She landed right on her butt and heard a whimper. When Delia opened her eyes, she was sitting back against the alley wall and only saw the hilt and handle of her sword visible. The blade had disappeared. She knew what had happened. She was able to stab the hellhound right in the head and into its body. She felt the dog's head resting on her lap and its jaws open and barley digging into her stomach. Delia withdrew her sword, which now became fully visible, and moved the dog off of her. She stood up and held her wounded arm again, stepping over the dog and walking away from the corpse.

"I don't think I want a dog anytime soon." She said to herself as she climbed over the truck to the other side where she saw Willow holding her hands over Giles' wounded leg and chanting the spell that Liam did to heal the wound. The wound healed up and Giles opened his eyes and starred at his now healed leg and then at Willow who gave him a weak smile.

"Liam once told me that I should use magic for like the very important things like healing wounds. Thought this qualified." Willow told him.

"Oh, it defiantly qualified." Giles said straightening his glasses. "Thank you." He said smiling at her. She smiled back at him.

"Hey, guys. Don't mean to interrupt the moment but could I have some help?" Delia asked. Willow and Giles looked at Delia sitting onto of the truck and holding her wound. She dropped down and when she hit the payment with her feet, she collapsed on the ground. The two rushed over to her and sat her up. Willow held her hands over the wound and began to chant, healing the wound. "Where's Liam?" Delia asked. Giles and Willow looked at each other with a worried look on their faces.

…

Liam was lying on the floor of the warehouse, bloody and beaten from Alastair's torture with his own weapon. It wasn't like the torture he received in his hell, but Liam thought it was a reprieve. The pain he felt he actually preferred then the constant torture he endured before. His vision was still blurry from the concussion and didn't get better from the torture. Everything he saw was a big blur.

"So tell me what hurts more?" Alastair said walking around Liam's body. "A?" Alastair stabbed the knife end of the scythe into Liam's leg. Liam gritted his teeth and grunted loud in pain. "Or B?" Alastair pulled the scythe out and stabbed it into Liam's shoulder. This time Liam let out a slight yelp from the pain. "And to think, you could have been great. I don't know what he saw in you, why he even gave an interest in someone that came from two do-gooders, but you defiantly aren't what I expected, nor want to have help him." Alastair flipped the scythe and held it with both hands, the axe hovering over Liam's neck. "Time to collect your payment." Alastair raised the scythe, ready to strike Liam down. Liam closed his eyes, unable to do anything about what was about to come. As the scythe had risen above Alastair's head, he held it there for a split second. In that second, Alastair didn't see the flash of light that came from behind him. He tried to swing the scythe down but something or someone caught it, preventing him from swinging it.

"Pay up." Alastair heard a female voice say and the scythe was ripped from his grasp. He turned around to face his interrupter and saw a small fist collide with his face, hurling him back and landing on a large crate that broke to bits. Liam sighed in relief at his savior, even though he couldn't see her. He also felt something within him. A feeling that he knew about, but hadn't felt for a long time. He had missed the feeling. He didn't know why he was feeling it now, knowing that the feeling could never come back to him, but he shrugged it off left the feeling to make him feel better. He opened his eyes and saw the blurry figure of the woman that saved him walk past him, with his scythe in hand. Alastair got up out of the debris and dusted himself off. Alastair looked at her, inspecting her and her appearance. She had dark colored hair and wore black boots, black leather pants, and topping it off with a leather coat on her. The woman stopped short of him and swung the scythe, catching it and holding it with both hands.

"Well, isn't this an unexpected surprise." Alastair said.

"I'm full of those." The woman said and tossed the scythe to Alastair who caught it, just as the woman lunged forward and grabbed the scythe, swinging herself in midair and kicking Alastair in the chest with both feet, sending him into the wall. The woman spun in midair and landed like a cat on the floor. Alastair got up to his feet and barely dodged the scythes axe head coming at him. He ducked it, only to have the woman's elbow hit his face and then kneed him in the gut. He hunched over and the woman grabbed him, spinning around and throwing him across the warehouse. She took the scythe out of the wall and spun it in her hand, walking past Liam again. Liam looked up to see the woman but his vision was still blurry. All he saw was her dark colored hair.

Alastair got up and saw the woman standing in front of him. "This is for Liam." She stabbed the demon in stomach and hauled him up in the air. Alastair grunted in pain and was thrown off of the scythe. He landed in a heap and the woman came over.

Alastair looked at the gaping hole in his stomach but paid more attention to the hole in his black suit. "Do you have any idea how much this suit cost?" he asked her.

"Do you have any idea how much your death will cost?" the woman asked and placed her boot on his chest and the axe head next to his neck like a gold club. "Free."

"From beneath you, it devours." Alastair said as the women raised the scythe and swung, chopping the head clean off the body. The head spun on the ground before resting a few feet from the body it once was attached to. Black blood pooled out of the body as it laid there dead.

The women swung the scythe over her shoulder. "Don't lose your head now. Ya hear?" She said and walked away from the body. As she did so, she snapped her fingers and a fire erupted from the body and started to burn it. She walked over to Liam and knelt down next to him. "Liam." She whispered. Liam looked at her but couldn't make out her face. Only a blurry dark outline. Liam couldn't keep his eyes open for long as he had to close them do to his tiredness. He heard something clatter on the ground and the door to the warehouse open.

"Liam! He heard the familiar voice of his wife said and she ran over to him. Liam opened his eyes again, trying not black out this time, he didn't see the woman anymore but he could see Delia kneeling down next him, opposite of where the woman once was. "Liam, are you ok?" Delia asked concerned holding his hand. Giles and Willow came behind Delia and hovered around Liam. Giles picked up Liam's discarded scythe and looked at his grandson with worry. Liam couldn't take it anymore. He was in bad shape and needed sleep. He let the darkness take over him and he fell unconscious.

…

Liam was lying on Giles' couch with Willow hovering over him, chanting the healing spell to heal his wounds. Delia sat in a chair a short feet away looking at the process. Seeing Liam beaten and bloody made her worried. Seeing him beaten and bloody and falling unconscious made her anxious. It wasn't unlike Liam to fight and get hurt a number of times. He could take a hit and heal fast afterwards. But every time he was hurt made Delia worry. Especially after the year they had and the two years Liam spent in the past.

Giles came into the sitting room with a tray with tea and crumpets for everyone. He set the tray down and sat in a chair next to Delia, watching Willow work. "Rarely have I seen Liam this beaten up before." Giles said taking a sip of his tea.

"I've seen him a number of times. He can take it. I just don't know when he can't." Delia said.

"Liam is strong. Much like his parents. He will make it out." No sooner did Giles say this that Willow stopped healing Liam and he stirred. Delia got up out of her seat and walked over to Liam, kneeling before him.

"Liam?" she whispered. Liam opened his eyes and let his vision come into focus. Feeling like crap was probably an understatement for him. He still felt a little dizzy but not as much as when he was in the warehouse. "Liam." Delia again.

"Yeah?" he said tiredly. Delia smiled and hugged her now ok-ish husband. "What's going on?"

"You were out for quite some time." Giles answered. Delia let go of Liam and he sat up, his vision now back to normal and feeling less dizzy. "We found you beaten and bleeding in the warehouse."

"And the demon you made the deal with…dead." Willow added with a smile. Liam looked at her and smiled back. It was nice to see her smiling again. All these months with her, he'd rarely seen her smile at all. He guessed that after a time a breaking into high security buildings and demon killing, she felt like her old self again.

"What about the blood?" Liam asked.

"It's still in the truck and it's parked outside. Figured since you stole it, it's still kinda yours." Delia answered with a smile.

"Thanks. I think. Not sure what I can do with blood."

"You could give it to Angel to drink." Willow joked. Everyone laughed at her joke. They quitted down and Delia looked at Liam, again worried.

"Are you ok?" Delia asked him.

"Fine. Why?" Liam said.

"Liam, you didn't tell us before. You were in hell. You were there for four months. Who knows how long in hell time that was."

"Delia I know you worry…" Liam stared but Delia cut him off.

"Liam, no. You have to talk about stuff like this. You can't keep things bottled up inside like you did."

"Keeping things locked up is what stops us from getting any better." Giles added. "You went through something very few can tell others and walk away from."

"You need to tell us so that we can help." Willow added. Liam looked at everyone and determined that there was no way for him to get out of this. He needed to tell them what happened to him in hell.

"Ok. I'll talk." He told them. "Just fair to warn you, there many different types of hell. Some of them are specifically designed for a particular person or persons. The one I was in….I didn't believe a hell like that could even exist. I thought hell was all fire and pits and endless torture and pain. But this one…the one I was in…it's worse than anything anyone can imagine. I mean, you experience a very small fraction of it here…but to have it going on forever…its torture." Everyone leaned forward and listened in as Liam told about his time in hell.

…

**Alastair's Hell Dimension**

**One year ago**

_Souls of humans and demons waited in a line that seemed to never end. No one could truly see the front of the line. And to those who've been in hell for a while, couldn't see the end anymore. Liam leaned his head out to see and only saw the never ending line at both ends. He leaned on the wall behind him and banged his head against it. He ignored the short pain he got from it and sighed. He had been waiting in this line for he didn't know how long. He hit his head on the wall again. _

"_This is hell. And here I thought hell would be fire and torture." Liam told himself._

"_It was. Before I changed it." Liam looked towards the source of the voice and saw a short man in a black suit with black hair and black eyes, looking at Liam with a devilish smile. "See problem with the old place is that a lot of the inmates were masochists already. A lot of 'thank you sir, can I have another hot spike up the jackies?' But just look at you and everything else. No one likes waiting in line."_

"_Who the hell are you?" Liam asked._

"_Names Alastair. I'm the one in charge here."_

"_Great. You just gave me the name of the guy I'm gonna kill next."_

"_Sorry mate. You're stuck in line…forever."_

"_That means there's no front?" Liam asked worried._

"_Oh no. There's a front. But once you get there, you come right back to the end again. That's efficiency. See you at the front." Alastair disappeared and Liam was left to wait in line forever. Liam sighed and whined and hit his head again on the wall. He hit it again. It looked like that was all he was going to be able to do so he started hitting his head against the wall again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, until he felt a bruise form on his head but kept doing it. Once it hurt enough, Liam switched to another part of his head and started to bang that._

…

**August 8, 2002**

**Giles' Estate**

**Nighttime**

Liam finished telling the story of his time in hell and let the information sink into his family. Giles, Willow and Delia stared at Liam, wide eyed in shock. They had all believed hell would be all fire and pain. Not waiting in line forever. That seemed worse.

"That's horrible." Willow said.

"Its bloody torture is what it is." Giles said.

"I can't believe something like could happen." Delia said.

"I know." Liam agreed with them. Then he eyed the tray of crumpets and tea. "Can I have a crumpet?"

"Of course." Giles said taking his tea and sipping it. Willow poured herself tea and Delia and Liam got crumpets for each other. They all seemed to have forgotten and couldn't care any less about Liam's story now knowing what happened.

"So how did you kill the demon?" Willow asked Liam.

"I didn't do it." Everyone looked to Liam surprised that he wasn't the one to kill the demon. "It was some woman."

"Who?" Delia asked.

"Couldn't see. Everything was blurry. But she diffidently knew how to fight. She used my scythe and killed the demon. She did better than I did and we both got the drop on him."

"Think you'll see her again?" Willow asked.

"Possibly. But I think we'll worry about saving the future than chasing some woman."

"Right. Cause your days of chasing woman ended once you met me." Delia said snuggling into Liam. Liam smiled and put his arm around her. "By the way, do you still feel that demon part of you inside?" Giles and Willow looked to Liam for his answer.

"Actually…I feel fine." Liam answered. Delia sat up to look at him. "Believe it or not, I'm trying to do the eyes thing now, but I can't. I guess that when the demon died, the contract and everything else died with him."

"Well that's good. Now you can be yourself again."

"Finally. Speaking of, I need to use the bathroom." Liam got up and left the family back in the sitting room. He went to the hall bathroom and closed the door, tuning the light and looking at himself in the mirror. He sighed and looked dismayed. "Yep. Just myself. He told himself. Then his eyes turned complete black. The demon was still there. Liam gripped the sides of the sink and looked closely at himself in the mirror with an angered look. "Now you listen up you son of a bitch. I don't know what you are, but I intend to get rid of you. One way….or another. If I can't, I won't use you. This is me telling you to not even unpack your bags. You'll be gone soon. And I'm gonna be the one to gut you and hang you out to dry." Liam eyes turned back to normal. He stood back up and flushed the toilet, coming back to the sitting room.

"You good?" Delia asked.

"Yep." Liam answered sitting down and taking another crumpet.

"So what's the plan for when we go back?" Delia asked.

"You're going back home?" Willow asked sounding a little sad.

"Not right away." Liam assured her. "We'll be here for like another month or so. But we will be going back. Hopefully with you in tow." Willow smiled at his answer.

"I don't know if I'll be ready to go back."

"You'll be ready. Trust me." Liam said and gave her a wink. Willow felt even better.

"So how about it. What's are plan?" Delia asked.

"Don't know. But I can tell you this much." Liam leaned back and put his arm around Delia again. "I don't think it'll be a quite year this year."

…

**One month later**

**Docks of LA**

**Nighttime**

A group of Asian girls were being escorted off a ship from a shipping container. A man looked upon as they were being escorted to a big semi and getting into another container. The man smiled at his success. He was a stylish man with brown hair and light facial hair and a smug smiled on his face.

"Enjoying your business running smoothly, Mr. Fries?" A woman in a suit asked coming up behind him. She carried with her a briefcase with the letters WH on it.

"Smuggling Asian girls into the US for cheap labor and prostitution? To some, it's a crime. To me, it's just business." Corbin Fries said. This man was both a business man and a dangerous mobster. He was aggressive and dangerous to anyone that crossed him. He had no concern for the wellbeing or lives of others. Not even his own son, who he had thought of using as a tool for any future purpose.

"Well, you'll be happy to know that at Wolfram and Hart, we care about your wellbeing and that your operations run as smoothly as possible."

"That's what I like to hear." As a group of girls were being taken away, one started to fight off the guards holding her and broke free. She tried to run but another guard caught her. She started to struggle in his grasp and started to scream. "Oh what now?" Corbin Fries started to walk over to the struggling girl. The Wolfram and Hart lawyer followed. "Hey, what's going on?" he asked one of the guards.

"Seems like we one trying to make a break for It." The guard said.

"Then bind her down if you have to." Corbin looked at the girl who continued to struggle. "I have a lot of buyers who want her kind of looks."

"I'll take care of it, sir." The guard moved towards the girl who struggled more and screamed louder.

"Shut her up." Corbin ordered. One guard took his rifle and hit the butt of it against the girls chin, silencing her. No sooner had he done that that everyone at the dock saw lightning clap and heard the sound of thunder roll in the clear night sky. Then everyone turned to see a figure on a motorcycle appear out thin air in a blaze of fire and fly right over their heads. The rider hit to the ground with the bike and skidded, doing a few doughnuts until stopping. Everyone starred at the new arrival. The figure was wearing a cloak of some kind with intricate designs on it. They wore a white hood that covered their face well. The figure took their boot off of the bike and grinded it into the pavement before getting off and facing the group. The girls looked scared. Everyone else was just stunned. "What the hell is this?" Corbin asked the lawyer.

"I have no idea, sir." The lawyer responded.

"You will." The figure said. She sounded female to everyone and it was confirmed when she undid her cloaks clasp and set it on the bike. She wore all black and her body seemed to be covered in a black armored plate suit one would see in a sci-fi movie. She wore a complete black skin suit with armored boots, a chest plate, vambraces and shoulder pauldrons, topping everything off with the white hood she wore. The plates of armor were thin enough to make it look like she had on another layer of skin. The woman clenched her fists, ready for a fight.

Corbin looked at the woman and then at his guards. "Well kill her." He ordered. A few men opened fire on the woman. She raised her hands and the bullets stopped in midair. The men stopped firing and the woman dropped her hands, the bullets falling down with them. She grabbed her belt from the front and pulled it off. The belt itself was a long whip that seemed to extend to any length the woman wanted as it extend and nearly hit a group of girls more than 15 feet away. The woman twirled the whip around her body once and whipped it around one of the guards, pulling it and him along with and throwing him into the container truck, causing a serious dent. She drew the whip back and brought it down on another guard. The whip seemed to be as strong as a thick steel cable as it slammed another guard into the ground, making a small crater. More guards opened fire on her and the woman twirled the whip around her. A glow of energy from the whip made a force field that blocked the bullets. The woman cracked the whip and slammed another guard into water. She cracked the whip again and it rapped itself around a guards legs, hauling him up in the air and dropping him to the ground. A guard rushed at the woman. But before he could get her, the whip retracted and straightened itself out turning into a boa staff. The woman turned around and hit the guard a number of times, knocking him out. More guards came at her and she fought all of them with her staff. Corbin had seen enough and ran to his car. "Go. GO! GO!" he yelled to his driver. The driver frantically put the car in drive and started to drive off. They didn't get far as the car was split in half due to the whip striking it. Corbin fell out of the car and felt the whip snake around his body, pulling him back towards the woman. He stopped at her feet and was hauled up by an unknown force. He floated several inches above the ground and was turned to face the woman. "You bitch."

"That's what they all call me." The woman replied. Corbin was turned around again and felt his wrist being cuffed behind him.

"What are arresting me?" Corbin asked sounding surprised.

"No." Corbin flew away and right into a lamp post. He fell the ground and tried to get up but found that he was now hand cuffed tied to the post. He didn't know how it was possible for him to be cuffed one second then cuffed around another object the next. The Asian girl's coward at the sight of the woman who single handedly defeated a small force of armed guards with ease.

The Wolfram and Hart lawyer hid behind the destroyed remains of Corbin's car and tried walking away from the scene with being seen. She pulled out her cellphone and dialed. "We have a situation." She whispered. She didn't get another word out as her legs were then wrapped by the whip. An expression of surprise and shock etched across the lawyers face as the woman pulled on the whip and the lawyer was dragged several yards towards her. She had dropped her phone in the process. As she came to a halt in front of the woman, she felt the whip undo itself and she had control of her legs again. The lawyer got onto all fours and looked back at the woman who took the whip in both hands and stretched it. The whip caught on fire. The lawyer now had fear grip her entire body. "Have mercy?" she begged, scared out of her mind at the god like woman who seemed to be unbeatable.

"Sorry, all out of mercy." The woman replied. The woman reeled back the whip as the lawyer got up quickly to run. The woman twirled the whip around and whipped it, wrapping it around the lawyer who didn't get more than ten feet away from her. The burning whip started to burn her. She screamed in pain from the heat that only burned her outside but seemed to be also burning inside her too. "HELP ME!" she pleaded to anyone, but no one helped. Burning cracks appeared all over her skin as the whip burned her. She screamed until her screams faded and her entire body turned to a charcoal statue of herself. The woman reeled the whip back and it broke the statue into charcoal ash. The woman whipped the whip around her waist again, forming the belt again. The Asian girls started in terror at the woman. Corbin sat cuffed to the post, starring in shock and disbelief. The woman walked over to him casually and stopped short of him. Corbin looked up but couldn't see the face under the hood as the light from the lap post casted a silhouette of the woman's face.

Corbin gulped. "Are going to do that to me?" he asked scared

"You mean kill you?" the woman asked. Corbin nodded. The woman knelt down before him. "Why would I do that, when I could see you pay for your crimes by living the rest of your days in jail?"

"How are you going to manage that?" The woman reached into a pouch and took out a flash drive and placed it in his jacket pocket.

"Everything the cops need to pin you to a number of crimes. Oh and don't worry about Wolfram and Hart bailing you out. On that drive contains documents saying that Wolfram and Hart helped you in your crimes. Good luck in prison. Don't drop the soap." The woman said cheerfully and stood up.

"You bitch. I'll get out. And I'll find you and kill you and your family." Corbin threatened against his cuffs.

"That'll be hard." The woman said.

"Why?" The woman looked up as sirens were heard in the distance and getting closer. She knelt down to Corbin again and got really close to his ear.

"Cause I don't exist." She kissed his cheek. Corbin felted his cheek burn a blissful burn and fainted with a smile on his face. The woman stood up, looking down upon him. "Never get tired of doing that." She said and whistled. Her motorcycle rode rider less towards her. She took the cloak and wrapped it around her. She got on the bike and rode off as the cops arrived mere seconds later, not noticing the vigilante.

**So what do you guys think? Got loads of surprises for you. Keep reading. It'll get juicer in the next several chapters. And then more as the book goes on. Comment and review. Let me know what you guys think about anything and everything. **


	4. Lessons

Chapter 1: Lessons

**Late September, 2002**

**Istanbul **

**Night Time**

A dark-haired girl of about fifteen was running through an arched hallway, looking over her shoulder and panting from the exertion of running so fast. She slipped down an embankment. She was being chased. A man on the street sees her through his front door, and closes it rather than help her. Two people in hooded cloaks were chasing her. After trying various alleys looking for an escape route, she finds herself trapped in a dead-end. She sees a drain pipe next to her and decides to use it to scale the building. The people chasing her grab her foot, but she manages to escape their grip and easily climbs up to the roof. There, another hooded figure is waiting and pushes her off the building. She screams, but she lands on the ground alive, on her back. Two hooded figures hold her down, and she fights back with all her might. A third figure raises an arched, shiny, silver dagger and thrusts down at her.

…

A newly sired vampire was rising from his grave. His arms come out first and then his face, already yellow-eyed and fanged.

"It's about power." Buffy said. She sat on the ground while Angel leaned against a tree a ways away. Dawn stood in front of Buffy and listened intently to her while a vampire rose from its grave. "Who's got it? Who knows how to use it? So..." Buffy tossed a stake to the teenager. "Who's got the power, Dawn?"

"Well, I've got the stake." Dawn said.

"The stake is not the power." Buffy said.

"But he's new. He doesn't know his strength. H-he might not know all those fancy martial arts skills they inevitably seem to pick up." Dawn protested.

"Who's got the power?" Buffy said ignoring Dawn's protest.

"He does." Dawn said.

"Never forget it. Doesn't matter how well prepped you are or how well armed you are. You're a little girl Dawn."

"Woman." Dawn corrected.

"Little woman."

"I'm taller than you."

"He's a vampire, OK? Demon. Preternaturally strong. Skilled with powers no human could possibly ever..."

"Excuse me. I think I'm stuck." The vampire said behind them. He was halfway out of the ground as Buffy, Dawn, and Angel all turned to it.

"You're stuck?" Buffy asked.

"My foot's caught on a root or something, and… I don't even know how I got down there. If you girls could just give me a hand..."

"Hmm. So, he's got the power?" Dawn asked sarcastically.

"Zip it." Buffy said. Angel snickered behind his tree and Buffy gave him a dirty look.

"I really appreciate it. It's just, it's so dark, and I don't even know what I'm doing here." The vamp said. Buffy picked him up by his suit collar and put him down standing on his feet. "Whoa. Ooh. Thanks. That was a help. Unfortunately it was the last..." Buffy grabbed his throat and squeezed. "…thing you'll ever do."

"Listen up. I'm the slayer. You don't want to get into it with me. You want blood? You can have hers." Buffy said, motioning towards Dawn. The vamp turned and ran after Dawn. "Power. He's got it. He's going to use it. You don't have it, so..." Dawn bent and flipped him over her back. "...use that. Perfect." Buffy walked over to Angel and stood next to him while she watched Dawn fight the vamp.

"She's doing well." Angel said.

"Yeah. Considering it's Dawn's first time out." Buffy said.

"Yup." Dawn staked the vamp, and thought she defeated him, but she missed the heart. She got a panicked look on her face. He pushed Dawn down, got up, and got away from her. She tried to stake him again, but the vamp overpowered her and threw her down start to bite her on the neck.

"Buffy! Angel!" Dawn screamed. Buffy walked up behind the vampire and grabbed its coat from behind. The vamp dropped Dawn. Buffy fought with swings, kicks, and punches. Finally, she grabbed a nearby sword, and cut off its head.

"It's real. It's the only lesson, Dawn. It's always real. Let me see." Buffy said.

"It's nothing, it's just a scrape. Plus, I had a plan the whole time." Dawn said.

"Really?" Angel asked, coming up next to Buffy taking her hand. "And what would that be?"

"I planned to get killed, come back as a vampire, and bite you." Dawn said to Buffy.

"You wanted to be trained since…" Buffy retorted but stopped before she said Faith's name. Faith and Spike leaving all of a sudden without warning did hurt the Summers family. They had finally gotten to a point where both of them had been allies and family to them. Now they were gone and Buffy, Angel or Dawn all felt sad and worried for the both of them. Buffy sighed. "…since you didn't have a teacher anymore."

"Buffy, its ok. You can say Faith's name. She and Spike had a fight and they're busy cooling off I guess."

"Ok."

"Just the next time when you're gonna disa..."

"You did pretty well."

"I did?"

"Yeah."

"Cause, you know, with the whole rolling thing, I was actually using his strength, and it was very Tai Chi. Right Angel? Plus I nearly got the heart."

"My first time out, I missed the heart too."

"No way!" Dawn said.

Angel chuckled and nodded for conformation. "She did. I saw the whole thing."

"Just the once." Buffy said defensively.

"Well, the next vampire I meet..." Dawn started.

"The next vampire you meet, you run away. I just wish that was all we had to worry about. Vampires, demons… they're nothing compared to what's coming." Buffy said.

"I know. I just can't believe its back." Dawn said as they started to walk home.

"Believe me, I thought I was long past it. I guess you never are. Just a few more days 'til it starts. Then we'll never know what's coming next."

"Glad things are getting back to normal." Angel deadpanned.

…

A man held a large pair of scissors and used them to cut a huge red ribbon. A press conference was happening with a grand opening ceremony with reporters and city officials standing around.

"It is my great pleasure and privilege to announce the official opening—on the very ground that it first stood upon—of the brand new state of the art Sunnydale High!" The new principle announced. The cloud clapped as they looked upon the new Sunnydale High School.

…

**Parking Garage, LA**

**Nighttime **

Four men walked through a parking garage together. Two stood tall in suits and acted as body guards walking behind the other two men. The third man was in a suit and carrying a briefcase with the letters HW on it. The fourth man was balding, wore a designer suit and coat, and seemed to be mad about something. This man's name was Daniel Bordeaux. A wealthy business man who was being charged for multiple accounts of fraud, scamming middle and lower class people out of their money. He was guilty of course. But he didn't care.

"I want these charges against me to be dropped." Bordeaux said to the Wolfram and Hart lawyer.

"Yes Sir Mr. Bordeaux." The lawyer said. "Wolfram and Hart will make sure everything is taken care of."

"Really? Cause last time I checked, you people were still being looked at for your involvement in the Corbin Fries smuggling affair. I don't want the same thing happen to me."

"We've managed to convince the Attorney General's office that the documents recovered about our involvement were false. We won't have a problem anymore."

"What about the woman in the hood Fries was talking about?"

"She hasn't been seen since. But we are keeping our staff on alert for anything suspicious in nature."

"Whatever. Just get these charges dropped."

"Yes sir." The four men stopped at a car and one of the bodyguards went to open the door for Daniel Bordeaux. Suddenly, the light above them burst and broke. A few lights in the parking garage flickered. The men looked around for a cause. Then an arrow appeared in the lawyer's chest and he fell down, dead.

"Get in the car." One of the bodyguards led Bordeaux to his car and closed the door. Both guards took out their guns and fired in the direction of where the arrow originated. They couldn't see where exactly their shots were going in the dark but hoped for a hit somewhere.

"Hey." They heard a voice say from the darkness. "You missed." Bordeaux listened to the activity outside of the car. He didn't hear anything since the mysterious voice spoke. Then he heard two bodies fall on the ground outside and then his window shattered. Bordeaux covered himself from glass and looked to his right to see a black arrow sticking out of the seat. It was the source of the glass shattering. Now the only question was, who shot it? The answer came quickly as Bordeaux was grabbed from outside of the car and pulled through the broken window. He looked up to see a dark clothed figure in a white hood kneeling on the roof of his car. At first Bordeaux thought it was the woman like before, but instead it was a man. He could tell from the black beard on the man's face. He couldn't see his eyes as the man's hood silhouetted them. He wore a black skin suit with armored plated boots, thigh plates, knee pads, shoulder plates, vambraces on his forearms with the left one carrying four arrow shaped flechettes, and a chest plate. He carried a large quiver on his back filled with arrows. The man pointed a bow and arrow at him.

"Whoa. Whoa! Look just…just tell me what you want?" Bordeaux said. The man jumped down from on top of his car and hauled him up to his feet.

"You're going to transfer 50 million dollars into Los Angeles Citibank account 7601 by 10 P.M. tomorrow night." The man demanded.

"Or what?" Bordeaux asked.

"Or I'm going to take it. And you won't like how." The man let go of Bordeaux, turned, and started to leave.

"If I see you again you're dead!" Bordeaux shouted. The man turned back and pulled an arrow back on his bow, shooting it and making a hole in the back window of Bordeaux's car. Bordeaux turned to see it and looked back to find the man nowhere in sight.

…

**London, England**

**Liam and Delia's apartment**

**Early Morning (Same time)**

Liam was entering his apartment after visiting Giles and Willow very quick. Delia didn't come because she felt sick this morning and Liam left her to rest while he visited. She had been feeling kind of sick the past few days and hoped she would feel better soon. Giles was doing well. He was getting a kick out of the Watcher's Council still baffled by the break in they did over a month prior. Willow was doing well in her studies thanks to Liam giving her courage and reassuring her of how great she would become with magic, if only she paced herself. The coven wasn't scared of her anymore but they still kept a watchful eye in case of anything. Things seemed to be looking better for the family.

Liam walked to the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee. And took a sip and sighed happily. He liked coffee. "Delia." He called to his wife but received no response. He looked around the apartment for her but didn't find her. Her entered the bedroom where he saw their suitcases open but empty on the bed. Liam and Delia were going back home today and they're flight would be leaving at 7:30, that way they would arrive in LA at around 9:30 Los Angeles time and meet up with Buffy and the rest in Sunnydale around noon. They had their tickets ready and everything. All they were missing was their packed luggage. "Delia." Liam called again. He heard heaving coming from the bathroom. "Honey, you feeling any better?" Liam asked the obvious question coming next to the door of the bathroom. He heard Delia groan. It was very rare that Liam saw her sick. Practically never. The only other time was when she caught some magic disease after a mission in the future but even then they had an antidote ready. "I'll take that as a no."

"Really? What was your first clue?" Delia asked sarcastically from the bathroom.

"Well, dry heaving was my first clue." He heard Delia groan again. "Do you think you'll be ok enough for our flight later tonight?"

"Yes, cause I'll be dead." Delia said sickly.

"I think you might have the flu."

"Great observation, jackass." Delia shot back. She really wasn't feeling well. Practically everything made her sick to her stomach. Liam didn't like being insulted for trying to help her out. So he settled for payback.

"You know there is a great remedy for a flu bug." Liam smiled. "It's a, it's a juicy cheeseburger topped with tabasco sauce, served in a bowl of chili fries." Liam heard more heaving coming from the bathroom and snickered to himself.

"Oh god, I hate you." Delia moaned.

"Love you too, honey." Liam went over to the nightstand and set his coffee down. Delia came out of the bathroom looking just like how she sounded in there. Liam saw this and felt bad about getting at her. "Geez Delia. You look like crap."

"Thanks, every wife likes to hear that." Delia deadpanned, leaning on the bathroom door.

"I just mean that you don't look like you should be doing a lot for the moment. How about I pack up our things and you just rest."

"You'll do that for me?" Delia asked sounding relieved.

"What are husbands for?" Liam said with a smile. Delia gave a weak smile to him before she got sick again and went to the bathroom to puke more.

Later that morning, Liam and Delia had arrived at the London airport where they met up with Giles and Willow to say good-bye. Willow wasn't coming with the couple just yet. She wanted to finish up the last of her training with the Coven before she felt she was ready to go home. Also, Liam thought it would be best to check out the mood of everyone at home to see if they are ready to have Willow back first. It was agreed upon unanimously. Delia still wasn't feeling any better but at least she had stopped heaving for the time being.

Liam and Delia's flight was boarding and the couple were saying their last good bye's and see you soon's to Giles and Willow. Willow and Liam hugged each other. "Gosh. I wish I could come with you." Willow said.

"Willow, we talked about this." Liam said and looked at her. "Finish what you have here and then come back. I speak for everyone when I say that we want you to be at your best when you come back. Alright?"

"Ok." Willow complied but didn't like it. "It's just…I got through a lot with you giving me encouragement and telling me about me in the future."

"I barely told you anything aside from you were in complete control of your magic in the future."

"And that's what got me through it. That and you…" Willow lowered her voice. "You telling me about my daughter."

"I told you enough to let you know that you are not evil inside. You are good. As so is she." Liam smiled at Willow and hugged her again. "Just finish up before you come back. Promise?"

"Promise."

Giles and Delia gave each other a hug. "Please, come back with Willow." Delia begged.

"I will try to make it happen. But I see that I might be needed at the Watcher's Council due to our little adventure there." Delia smiled, thinking back to their heist one month prior.

"At least try to visit more often. You're really fun to have around." Giles smiled at the slayer for the compliment.

"I promise I will visit as often as time allows." Giles said. Delia smiled at him before turning to hug Willow. Liam came over and hugged his grandfather. "Please, do be safe." Giles told him.

"Aren't I always?" Liam joked. Giles looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "I promise to try and be safe. Safe-er."

"Good. And do tell your parents about your little time in…."

"I promise to tell them about my time in hell." Liam promised his grandfather for the hundredth time. "I will also tell them about the deals and our little break in. No secrets."

"Good. And tell Buffy that I love her and I do miss her and everyone there."

"I promise grandpa." Liam said and gave his grandfather one last hug before he and Delia had to board the plan, otherwise they would miss their flight. They waved to Willow and Giles before boarding the plane and they got to their seats. Giles decided that they needed a relaxing flight so he gave them first class, which they didn't argue with. Liam and Delia sat in their seats and as soon as Delia got settled, she started feeling sick again. She put her hand to her mouth one hand over her stomach. Liam noticed this. "Delia are you alright?"

"I…I think I'm gonna be sick again."

"Again? We just got on the plane."

"I know. I'm sorry I just…" Delia held her mouth, trying to not let herself throw up again.

Liam sighed. "Maybe we should wait until this bug passes."

"No. No. I'm ok." Delia lied and took in a much needed breath. She didn't want to delay them from going home, especially since they were both getting sick of London and they missed California. Not to mention that they needed to start their work on finding the Orb of Danzalthar now that they had the book about it. Liam looked suspiciously at her before deciding that it was what she wanted.

"OK." He said and leaned back in his seat, ready for the ten hour flight and nap he was looking forward to. Just as he closed his eyes and prepared for it, Delia jumped out of her seat, almost knocking over a flight attendant and headed straight into the lavatory. Liam saw it happen and leaned back and sighed. "She had better not make me sick."

…

In Sunnydale, the Summers household was busy this morning. Angel was in the kitchen, feeding a ten month old Connor in his high chair. Connor was nearly eleven months old now and started to be doing a lot of developing that brought smiles to Buffy and Angel's faces. He was already grabbing things and sticking his hands into his cereal and grabbing it. Buffy nearly had a heart attack when she first saw Connor stand up, albeit with support from the furniture but it was still a big development. It seemed like he was understanding what people were saying around him because he laughed and smiled during appropriate times and half the time it seemed like he was trying to say something. Buffy was really eager to hear Connor's first words. Angel however was very patient with everything.

While Angel was help feeding Connor, Buffy busied herself with getting Dawn ready for school. It was her first day at the new Sunnydale High and she didn't want to take any chances with her sister going to the school that gave her hell for three years. Buffy walked to the window and saw Xander pull up in his new car.

"Dawn! Xander's here." Buffy yelled to her sister.

"Just a minute!" Dawn called back.

"You're gonna be late."

"I'm comfortable with that."

"Good morning!" Xander said when Angel opened the door.

"Well, you gotta eat something. I made cereal." Buffy called.

"Ok." Dawn called.

"You're unconscionably spiffy." Angel said to Xander.

"Client meeting." Xander said. Then to Buffy, "How exactly do you make cereal?"

"Ah, you put the box near the milk. I saw it on the food channel. Want something?" Buffy asked.

"I ate. I'm good. How are you guys?"

"My sister's about to go to the same high school that tried to kill me for three years. I can't change districts, I can't afford private school, and I can't begin to prepare for what could possibly come out of there. So, peachy with a side of keen, that would be me."

"Well here's a little something for what ails ya."

"You got the rest." Angel said as they followed Xander into the dining room.

"Take a look."

Dawn came in and saw Xander in his suit. "Hey. Check out double-O Xander." Dawn said.

"Go. Talk with your mouth full." Buffy said and pointed to the kitchen.

"I've got two crews working on this diabolical yet lucrative new campus. One here, finishing the Science building, and one here, reinforcing the Gym. There are no pentagrams, no secret passageways. Everything's up to code and safe as houses." Xander said.

"Nothing creepy or strange from beyond?" Angel asked cleaning Connor's messy chin.

"Maybe you guys are just paranoid." Dawn said through a mouthful of cereal.

"Well, there is one interesting detail. I managed to scare up the plan from the old high school. You remember the very center of Sunnydale's own hell mouth?" Xander asked, putting two separate plans up to the window.

"Under the library." Angel said.

"Right. So I lined up the plans, new and old. And right exactly where the library was, we now have…" Xander pointed to where the two plans lined up the Hellmouth and it showed the principal's office.

"The principal's office." Buffy said.

"So the principal's evil?" Dawn asked.

"Or in a boatload of danger." Buffy answered.

"Well the last two principals were eaten. Who would even apply for that job?" Angel asked.

"Guess we'll see. Ooh, we have to leave though. You have everything?" Buffy asked Dawn. "Books, lunch, stakes?"

"Checked thrice." Dawn said.

"Did you give her the..." Xander asked.

"No, we were saving it." Buffy said.

"What is it?" Dawn asked.

"Back to school gift."

"It's a weapon, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is." Angel said. Buffy handed Dawn a wrapped present. She sat down and started to open it.

"It's a cell phone!" Dawn squealed.

"Hold it." Angel said.

"What?"

"It's only for emergencies." Buffy said. "There will be no calling your friends on this phone. The bill is going to be high enough as it is. You're always in danger here in Sunnydale."

"Buffy and I got this so you can be out at night and if something happens, you can call us and we'll come help you." Angel said as he and Buffy pulled out their identical cell phones.

"Thank you." Dawn said and meant it.

"You're welcome." The home phone started to ring and Angel went to answer it.

"Hello." Angel said. "Giles! Hey. How's it going?"

"Giles?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah. He says hi by the way." Angel confirmed.

"Hi Giles." Everyone said a loud. Connor giggled at the group. Angel smiled and returned to the phone.

"So how's everything? Willow ok?...Oh that's great. Glad to hear it…..Yeah….Oh they did?...Ok, we'll expect them soon. OK. Bye." Angel hung up the phone.

"I didn't get to talk to him." Buffy pouted.

"None of us did. Way to hog the phone dead boy." Xander complained.

"He had to get back to the Council. Apparently there's some situation and they need him."

"What else did he say?" Dawn asked.

"He said Willow's doing very well in her studies to control her magic."

"Oh good. Glad to know Willow's ok." Xander said.

"Did he say anything about Liam?" Buffy asked.

"He said that he and Delia got on a plane hours ago and will arrive soon in LA. We're to expect them somewhere close to lunch."

"That's great." Dawn said happily.

"Yes it is. And speaking of lunch, we gotta go. You don't want to be late for your first day." Buffy said. She, Dawn, and Xander all headed for the door. Angel lifted Connor out of his high chair and followed. He stopped at the door as he couldn't go out in daylight. "I'll be back soon. Tell Liam not to worry that much when he hears I went back to school." Buffy told Angel and kissed him. "Bye, bye Connor." Buffy hugged her infant son. "I'll see you soon." She gave him a kiss on his head and he smiled at her. Buffy loved seeing him smile.

…

Daniel Bordeaux was in his office with Lilah Morgan and Gavin Park from Wolfram and Hart and some men from his security team. He called for them specifically because it was the second time in the past month that a white hooded figure had attacked and killed a Wolfram and Hart Lawyer. Bordeaux was walking around his office explaining to Lilah and Gavin the events that transpired last night.

"He was in all black and wearing some kind of armor." Bordeaux told them and came to the front of his desk. "And he wore a white hood and carried a bow and arrow." Lilah looked stunned at Bordeaux and starred in disbelief. "What, you don't believe me?" Bordeaux picked up the arrow from his car and held it. "That maniac took out your lawyer and two of my men." He handed the arrow to Gavin who looked at. It was a black arrow with the shaft made of a specialized polymer with white fletching's at the end.

"Well Mr. Bordeaux, we will take everything that you have said here and consult with our assets to find…" Lilah took the arrow from Gavin and looked at it. "Robin Hood?"

Bordeaux didn't believe that Lilah was taking this seriously. "Listen sweetheart, I'm not some grosser who got taken for his register. I bring in a lot of money to your firm. I go to the front of the line. Now he said he would be back here by 10 P.M. Make sure you're here first." Lilah nodded to Bordeaux. "You can coordinate with Mr. Vincent Holden, my new head of security." Bordeaux pointed behind Gavin and Lilah and they looked to see a brown skinned, tall, well-built man in a leather jacket with a gun showing at his side. He looked mean. Lilah and Gavin starred at him and looked back at Bordeaux who went around his desk and sat in his chair.

"Alright then. Thank you for your time." Lilah and Gavin left the office and headed to the office elevator through the hall.

"That's twice now a vigilante in a white hood attacked one of our clients. Can't be mere coincidence." Gavin said.

"There's no such thing. First a woman. Now a man. We're not just dealing with a new player." Lilah said as they reached the elevator and pushed the button.

"No. We're dealing with a new team." They stepped into the elevator as it arrived and pushed the button to go down.

"Now we have more questions than answers. Like, who are they?"

"And what do they want?"

"But more importantly, which team are they on?" Lilah looked at the arrow again and looked specifically at the head. It was a flat headed arrow with a symbol of some kind on it. She looked closer and saw that the symbol was a stake with the tip pointing towards the tip of the arrow, and two angelic like wings coming out of the stake. Lilah had never seen a symbol like it before and wondered where it came from.

…

Xander's car pulled up to the new Sunnydale high building and Buffy and Dawn piled out. Buffy peered through the passenger side window at Xander. "I'm gonna take Dawn and Conner to class, have a look around." Buffy said.

"Ok. I'm gonna be on-site here all day, so if you have any needs…" Xander said.

"Thanks." Buffy and Dawn waved as Xander drove off before they started walking to the building. "Now remember: if you see anything strange or you know dead…."

"I got it." Dawn said.

"And stay away from hyena people, or any lizardy-type athletes, you know, or if you see anyone that's invisible." Buffy added.

"Hey, Buffy, I think it's pretty safe to say we're not going to see anybody that's invisible."

"You could still drop out. Only nerds finish high school."

"You know, I don't really think it's fair for you to try and scare me on my first day of high school. Cause it is so redundant."

"The place is evil." They entered an archway into a courtyard where a tall black man greeted them.

"Tough to let 'em go, huh?" he asked.

"Hi." Buffy said.

"I'm Robin Wood. New principal." He shook hands with Buffy.

"Oh, uh, Buffy Summers. This is Dawn."

"Nice to meet you."

"Hi." Dawn said.

"So you're the new principal. I expected you to be more… Aged." Buffy said.

"Huh. You seem a bit young to have such a gown-up daughter." Mr. Wood said.

"Oh. Uh, uh, no. She's my sister."

"Oh, right, um, of course."

"You didn't really think she's my... it's my hair. I have mom hair."

"Well you do have a son." Dawn pointed out. Buffy looked at her, alarmed.

"I actually have heard of you, Miss Summers. Graduated from the old high school, am I right?" Mr. Wood asked.

"Uh, yeah. It's Mrs. Summers now. How did you..?" Buffy asked.

"Well, I better get back to work. Gotta start deadening young minds. It's really nice to meet you all. You have fun." The principal left, and Buffy eyed him carefully as he walked away.

"That was suspicious."

"You betcha. Bye." Dawn said and walked away from Buffy through the school's courtyard to go to class.

"Oh, Dawn..."

"I know! You never know what's coming. The stake is not the power. To Serve Man is a cookbook. I love you. Go away." Dawn walked off. Buffy sighed and crossed her arms. Then she got an idea and walked to the school.

…

The terminal at the Los Angeles airport was busy. People were getting on and off planes and many of them were rushing. Bags came out and rotated around at the baggage claim. Liam walked over and grabbed his and Delia's bags. He carried them over to some seats and set them down. They had three bags with them. Two were suitcases, each belonged to Liam and Delia. Both suitcases were all the couple brought on their trip to England. Coming back, they had a third. Liam unzipped the third bag to reveal an assortment of different souvenirs both of them picked up in England. There were some books they 'borrowed' from the Watchers Council, including the book about the Orb, a bobble head policeman doll Liam thought was cool, a snow globe of Big Ben Delia picket up, and lastly three jars of the dragons blood Liam kept for himself. Since he heard about what the blood could do, he decided to keep some for a rainy day. Cause you just never know.

Liam walked with the bags to where Delia was sitting hunched over and holding her stomach. Her flu bug hadn't gotten better. Half the flight she spent in the lavatory, puking her guts out. Liam felt sorry for because she was so sick. "Hey, you ready?" he asked. Delia looked up at him and Liam saw how pale she looked.

"To die? Then, yes." Delia said and lowered her head again.

"Well, sorry to hear that. But I got our bags and everyone is waiting for us."

"Can't they wait till tomorrow?" Delia moaned. "I really need to rest."

"You can rest on the ride over. Now, I wouldn't mind carrying you but my hands are currently full." Delia looked up at Liam and saw he was carrying all the bags.

Delia sighed. "Fine." She got up and immediate felt nauseous again.

They took a cab ride from the airport and arrived at a storage facility not that long later. Liam had rented one out before they left for England and was picking up something special before they went back to Sunnydale. He went to the man in charge and finished with paperwork to get everything out of his locker.

"Ok, let's go." He told Delia and he held up the key and they walked to his locker.

"I don't see why you couldn't just have left it in Sunnydale and we get a flight there." Delia said. "They have their own airport."

"I know. But I knew when we got back that we would need her again and it's been four months since last I saw her." They arrived at Liam's locker. "I want the time we spend together to be a while." Liam said with a smile.

"Liam, it's just a…"

"Do not say it." Liam told Delia and he set the bags down. "Don't ever say it. She's more than that." Delia threw her hands up in surrender. She was feeling too bad to get into an argument. Liam took the key and unlocked the storage locker. He opened it up to reveal nothing but his newly restored 1969 Dodge Charger R/T that Willow shredded four months earlier. Liam had it fixed up right before he left and had it stored for when he would return. Liam's smile grew wider and he entered into the locker, roaming his hands over the car. "Whoa. Hey sweetheart. You miss me?" he talked to the Charger.

"Should I leave the two of you to have a moment?" Delia asked.

"Oh, we are going to have one big of a moment." Liam said eyeing the Charger. He took the bags and opened up the trunk. Before he placed a bag in, he thought about checking something first. He pulled open a false board on the floor of the trunk and revealed his stash of weapons. He had two types of axes and two broadswords on the false board and in the space beneath were assortments of weapons. A model 1887 Winchester lever-action shotgun, a model 1894 Winchester lever-action rifle, two identical Colt Single Action Army revolvers, his own M1911 pistol he got after being raised from the dead a year ago, a compound crossbow, and number of different sized knives, and color coded boxes filled with ammo for each weapon. Delia came over and starred at the arsenal, eyes wide open. "Did you always have this?" She asked him.

"Yep." Liam said and pulled out his M1911 pistol and setting it on the back of his belt.

"How come I've never seen it?"

"I never had to use it before. It was always threatening and using my scythe." Liam put the false board back and placed the bags in the back.

"How did you get the money to get all this?" Liam starred at her with a raise eyebrow.

"Don't think I didn't come to the past without some financial means." He told her. "Now come on. We got a ways to go." Liam opened up his door and got in. Delia did the same and leaned back in her seat. She was ready for a nice quite ride back. She was only going to get half of that as Liam turned on the radio and _Back in Black_ started to play. "Perfect timing." Liam smiled. Delia sighed and let Liam drive happily with the music playing.

…

Buffy was roaming the quiet hallways, checking out the new school. Suddenly a basketball was thrown at a locker by a kid who was not in class. She went to check it out, and saw the kid walk away down another hall out of sight. While following him, Buffy passed a door with a sign that said 'Basement. No student access.' She continued passed it, checking out the halls. She walked into a bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror, fondling her hair and pouted.

"It's not mom hair." Buffy said. She went to wash her hands and noticed a small bundle of feathers, twigs, crystals, and such bound together with string. Buffy picked them up, and when she looked in the mirror, she saw a woman who wasn't there before. The woman looked very dead.

"You can't protect her. You couldn't protect me." The girl said. Buffy spun on her heel to find a very dead janitor behind her. She backed into the wall and closed her eyes.

"Get out! Get out! Get out!" the janitor yelled. Buffy opened her eyes and the two dead people were gone. She ran out of the bathroom and headed down the hall. Buffy slammed through a door and into the classroom that Dawn was in.

"Dawn!" Buffy yelled.

"What!?" Dawn asked agitated. She was standing while the rest of the class was sitting.

"We have to go. It's not safe." Buffy said.

"But..."

"We, um. I mean I saw..."

"Can I help you?" the teacher asked.

"No, I uh. Dawn, I just thought you were, um, in danger… of smoking. I'll be around." Buffy turned on her heel and went out of the classroom.

…

Xander stood in front of the entrance of an almost done building and turned to see Buffy walking towards him.

"So, how's it looking? Does the place pass inspection?" Xander asked.

"Oh, it's great... if you're a zombie ghost thing!" Buffy said.

"So school's back in session, huh?"

"Seems like old times."

"So, zombies or ghosts?"

"I'm not sure. They were in the mirror, but they disappeared. Um, but they touched me, I think. Well, let's just start with dead and pissed."

"They were after you personally?" Xander asked Buffy.

"They talked about protecting people. Told me to leave." Buffy said.

"No damage though?"

"I think I may have destroyed Dawn's social life in all of about 30 seconds, but apart from that, no."

"Ah, being popular isn't so great. Or so I've read in books."

"This isn't a coincidence, you know, the school being rebuilt. It means something."

"As in what?"

"I don't know! I'm are going to keep lurking and I'll call Angel and let him know what's going on. You, um… You watch out for creepy stuff like ghosts."

"Will do." Buff turned away and pulled out her cellphone and dialed the house number. She listened to it ring a couple of times before Angel picket it up.

"_Hello?" _Angel said.

"Angel, it's me. School is diffidently back in session." Buffy told him.

"_Meaning?"_

"Meaning that whatever caused hell for us those three years, is happening again."

"_What happened?"_

"I saw two dead ghost zombie like people in the bathroom. Then they disappeared. Something's up."

"_Do you need help?"_

"Not at the moment. And besides, there isn't anyone that can take care of Connor while you race through the sewers. Just hang tight till I know more."

"_Ok. Let me know if anything comes up."_

"I will." Buffy hung up her phone and decided to do some investigating.

…

Liam's Charger roared down the highway on its way to Sunnydale. _Slow Ride _was playing on the radio and Delia was leaning her head on the window, wishing it really was a slow ride. Her nausea was getting worse and if she didn't find a plastic bag or a trashcan soon, they were going to have a mess. Liam was paying just a little too much attention to driving and the music to notice Delia's sick look. Suddenly it was all coming to Delia. She was going to throw up and she wasn't going to be able to stop it.

"Pull over." She said to Liam holding her mouth.

"What?" Liam said.

"Pull over. I'm gonna throw up."

"Not in the car!" Liam said and pulled to the side of the road. Delia jumped out and threw up what little contents of her stomach she had. Liam turned off his car and walked over to Delia to check on her. "You good, now?"

"Define good?" Delia said and spat out what she could from her mouth.

"Ok, when we get home, you're going to rest until this bug passes. I don't wanna have to pull over to the side of the road every few miles just for this." He indicated to her upchucked stomach contents on the ground.

"I just need some water." Delia said.

"Doable." Liam went to the trunk and took out a couple of water bottles. "I may need something to eat."

"What? So you can just upchuck those too?"

"If I don't get something, I'll feel worse."

"Well, I don't have anything to eat so you're just gonna have to deal until we get there."

"How far away are we?"

"About a half hour."

"Make it fifteen."

"I'll be speeding." Liam warned. Delia gave him an evil look. "Speeding it is." They went back to the Charger and Delia took a couple of sips of her water. Liam was about to start the car again, when he heard something. It was a small fluttering sound. It sounded familiar to Liam but he couldn't place it. "You hear that?" he asked Delia.

"Hear what?" she asked.

"That fluttering noise." Delia listened carefully but couldn't hear anything.

"I don't hear anything." Liam pondered why he could only hear the noise but shrugged it off as he needed to get moving. He started up the car again but didn't turn the radio on for Delia's sake. He put the car in drive and drove off at a fast speed.

…

Buffy was practically running through the hallways of the new Sunnydale High School. She was in a hurry and wasn't looking where she was going. Which is how she ended up bumping into the new principle.

"Whoa!" Mr. Wood said.

"Ooh, sorry." Buffy said.

"Mrs. Summers. I didn't know you were still about."

"Uh, yeah, I were just looking for..."

"I thought in general it was customary for a person who's graduated to, um, you know, go somewhere else."

"Well, it's a new campus. I'm just getting to know it. You know, make sure it's safe for my sister."

"You know, I, um, have to be honest. I actually know a little bit more about you than I let on before."

"Isn't that interesting?"

"Oh, it really is. The school board recommended I spend a little time reading your record. It's, um, quite a page-turner. Kind of a checkered past..."

"Huh. More like a plaid. Kind of a clan tartan of badness, really. You know, but there were factors."

"Well, it's clear your sister looks up to you, which I think is great." Mr. Wood said.

"No, she's much, much worse than me. Troublemaker. Expulsion is really the only way to go. You know, or you can suspend her for… three years." Buffy said.

"Well, how 'bout we give her a chance first. Just as long as they keep their grades up, and…" Mr. Wood was cut off by a cell phone ringing.

"Boy, that's loud." Buffy said and pulled out her cellphone.

"That's a part of the reason we don't allow cell phones in..."

"Excuse me. Yeah. Oh, sorry. My dog. Uh, dog walker." Buffy said to Principal Wood. Then to the cell phone, "Three dead?"

"Oh my God." Principal Wood said.

"Uh, no, I'll be right there."

"Your dogs are dead?"

_"And, Buffy? Isn't this reception amazing? We're in the freakin' basement!"_ Dawn said a little too loud through the phone.

Buffy slammed the phone shut. "Ok. Sorry about that. I… I have to..."

"Yeah. No, of course. And good luck with that…dog tragedy." Principal Wood called after Buffy.

…

Liam drove up in front of the Summers house and parked. It had been awhile since he'd last scene it and he was glad to see it again. Delia got out on the other side and decide to walk towards the house, hoping to lie down on the couch or in a bed. Liam went to the trunk and pulled out all the luggage and followed Delia. Delia opened the door and stepped aside to let Liam in. Liam set the luggage down at the foot of the stairs.

"Hello? Mom? Dad?" Liam called. Angel came out of the kitchen with a towel over his shoulder and smiled at his returned son.

"Liam." Angel said and they both enveloped each other in a hug. "It's great that you're back."

"It's so good to be back." Liam said and they parted. Liam was about to say something when he felt something grab his leg. He looked down to see Connor standing up on his own two feet and using Liam's leg as support. Liam was overjoyed with happiness and surprise seeing Connor standing. "Hey Connor!" Liam said bending down and picking Connor up. Connor giggled. "Did I just see you stand? Did I just see you stand?" Liam gushed which only made Connor giggle more.

"Oh my god, that was so cute." Delia said coming up next to Liam and starring at Connor with a smile.

Angel was smiling at his two sons. "Yeah, he started doing that about a week ago. Buffy almost had a heart attack."

"Where is mom anyway?" Liam asked.

"She's at school with Dawn. Apparently there some kind of ghost zombie thing happening."

"Does she need any help?" Liam asked sounding concerned and giving Connor to his father.

"She said she would call if needed. I would go, but I have Connor and suns out."

"I can go." Liam offered himself.

"I'll go too." Delia said then felt nauseous again. "Right after this." Delia ran to the kitchen and threw up into the sink. Angel and Liam came in to check on her.

"Is she ok?" Angel asked.

"Just the flu." Liam answered. "She should be ok in the next few days."

"Until then, I will lay on the couch and pray for death." Delia said and went to the pantry to get a glass for water and some crackers. Angel eyed her suspiciously as she grabbed her food. Then he heard it. The fluttering sound that Liam had heard earlier.

"Do you guys hear that?" Angel asked.

"Hear what?" Delia asked.

"That fluttering sound."

"You hear it too?" Liam asked. Angel turned to look at him. "I've been hearing it all the way over here. It sounds familiar but I can't put my finger on it." Angel and Liam listened carefully at the fluttering sound. Delia stood watching them. Angel looked at Delia and heard the sound coming from her. Combine that with the crackers, the water, and the vomit in the sink…

"Um, Delia, when did you start throwing up?" Angel asked.

"About two days ago. Why?" Delia asked.

Angel smiled. "Because I think you're pregnant." The room went completely silent. So silent in fact that one could hear a pin drop. Delia starred wide eyed at Angel. Liam starred wide eyed at Delia. Of all the sources in the world for the fluttering noise, neither of them expected it to be the heartbeat of a baby.

"I'm…I'm pregnant?" Delia asked in disbelief.

"I remember when Buffy was pregnant with Connor. She about where you are now when I heard the fluttering noise. It was Connor's heartbeat." Angel answered. Liam remembered now. He remembered hearing the heartbeat of his brother on top of the tower right before he jumped into the portal two years ago. He went over to Delia and felt her stomach and had it confirmed. She was pregnant, with his child. If his eyes could grow any wider, they would fall out of his head.

"I'm pregnant." Delia admitted to herself in disbelief. Liam withdrew his hand and contemplated everything that had just transpired.

"How do you know that I'm the…" Liam started out.

"Liam!" Delia chastised. This was not a time for jokes of any kind. Liam rubbed a hand over his mouth as he tried to deal. He always assumed that he would have a family. Just not in the past. This brought a whole new definition to having at the wrong time.

"Ok Delia. You're pregnant. Let's deal with this." Liam said. "How could you do this to us?!" Delia turned to Liam in disbelief at what he said.

"Me? This isn't my fault." She defended herself.

" 'I know my body Liam. I know when I'm ovulating.' "Liam mocked Delia's exact words to him whenever they decided to go without protection. Delia looked sheepish as she realized in retrospect, it was her fault. "Woman, you don't know when you're ovulating. Dammit, I got two in school in one on the oven." Liam turned to leave the house to go help his mother.

"Liam where are you going?" His father asked. Liam stopped and turned to him.

"To help out mom. Something I can actually handle right now. This…" he indicated to Delia. "I can't handle." He turned and went out the door. Angel turned to Delia who was starring after Liam, then she put her hand to her head, not being able to deal with anything, grabbed her crackers and went into the living room. Angel looked to Connor.

"Promise me when you're older and about to have a baby, you don't freak out?" Angel asked him.

Liam went to his car and popped open the trunk. If he was going to go up against ghosts of some kind, he was going to need the right tools forth job. He pulled out the Winchester shotgun and halfcocked it. He opened a black box with a white stripe on it and took out eight shotgun shell casings that were white. He loaded them up and cocked the shotgun ready. He got into his car and drove off towards the school. Now he was going to see the place that gave his mother hell for three years.

…

Buffy went into the restroom where was before and saw the hole in the floor. She jumped down in it and started roaming the basement halls, which seemed to go on forever. "Dawn?" Buffy called. She received no reply. Buffy pulled out her cell phone and speed dialed Dawn's number. She heard the other phone ring which went she was close by, but no one picked it up. "Dawn? I'm close by."

"Too late. But then, you're always too late, aren't you? Sure as hell didn't save me." Buffy spun to find the dead Janitor guy, the dead girl, and a dead nerd behind them.

"Where's my sister?" Buffy asked.

"I think they're lost."

"If I'm the one who let you die, why take it out on her? I'm right here. C'mon, what're you after? Fear? Revenge? Tasty brains?" Buffy asked.

"I think I'd like Dawn to be my girlfriend." The dead nerd said.

"Wrong sister. I'm the one that dates and marries dead guys. And, no offense, but he's a hottie. I mean, I'm sure you had a great personality, but..."

"Busy making out with your dead boyfriend while I was ripped to death by a werewolf? Is that why you let me die?" Dead girl said.

"I was screaming for help when they pulled me down..." Dead nerd said.

Buffy cut him off by making a T with her hands and saying, "Hello! Not making myself clear. I don't care how you died. I'm sorry for your loss, but where is my sister? Dawn!

"They're not gonna hear you. This place is like a maze." Dead janitor said.

"This place is ours now. It was built on our graves." Dead girl said.

"All we want is for you to leave so we can rest again."

"Actually, I'm thinking all you want is to get between us and that door. Who's for finding out why?" Buffy said. Dead nerd lunged at Buffy, who pushed him out of the way. Then dead girl jumped on her back, and they fell to the ground and Buffy knocked her off. When she got up, all three dead people are standing in front of the door again, like they had reappeared there supernaturally.

"If at first you don't succeed..." Buffy leapt over the dead people. "Cheat." The dead people jumped on her again and Buffy tossed them off. "Dawnie, we have to get out..." When she opened the door, much to her surprise, it wasn't Dawn behind the door after all. She was staring into the face of a longer-haired Spike. He looked grim, and not the least bit happy to see her. Buffy was astonished.

…

Liam pulled up to the new school and got out. He took his shotgun and hid it under his coat. He walked into the building and started to roam around for any signs of dead people or even his family._ Family._ A word that now Liam seemed to fear. He was starting a family. He was going to have a baby. He was from the future and he was going to have a baby in the past. So many things were wrong in this scenario.

Liam wondered around aimlessly trying to find his family, but they were nowhere in sight. Liam crossed a door that had a sign that said 'Basement. No Student Access.' Where else would dead people hide? Liam starred at it for a breath second before kicking it open and walking through. He took out his shotgun and started searching the halls.

…

"Spike? Are you real?" Buffy asked. Spike laughed and looked funny at her. He stopped laughing, and touched his hand tenderly to her face.

"Buffy, duck." He said.

"What? Duck? There's a duck?" From behind, the dead janitor hit her over the head with a pipe.

"No visitors today. Terribly busy." Spike mumbled.

"Told you to get out." Dead Nerd said as the dead janitor started to wail on Buffy with the pipe.

Buffy tripped the janitor, making him fall to the floor. She jumped up and used the door where she had found Spike to hit the dead janitor's head. She went into the room and latched the door behind her.

"He'll probably show up in a sec." Buffy said.

"Nobody comes in here. It's just the three of us." Spike said.

"Spike, have you seen Dawn? She came down here with some kids." Buffy asked.

"Don't you think I'm trying? I'm not fast. I'm not a quick study." Spike yelled. Then, suddenly, he was crying. "I got my board in the water and the chalk all ran. Sure to be caned." Now he started to laugh. "Should've seen that coming."

He moved away from Buffy into a corner, but she followed. His unbuttoned shirt was loose, but he covered his chest with it, crossed his arms, and leaned his back against the wall. She reached for his shirt to see what he was hiding. He looked away. There were numerous deep gashes on the upper left side of his chest, like he had been clawed.

"What did you do?" Buffy asked.

"I tried... I... tried to cut it out." Spike said.

Buffy didn't understand what was going on with Spike. He was clearly acting strange, but her cell phone rung before she could figure it out. She turned away from him to answer it.

"Dawn?" Buffy asked into the cell phone.

"Buffy, where are you?" Dawn asked on the other end.

"I..." Buffy was distracted by Spike's barely audible mumbling. He had crouched down on the floor on his tiptoes. "Look, where are you?"

"I don't know. In a room by the furnace. Near where we fell in. They dragged us in here, and then they disappeared."

"Yeah, they came after me too."

"What do they want?"

"So far, to piss me off."

"Is it working?"

"Oh, I'm damage-bound. I just can't figure them out. Ghosts can't touch you and zombies can't disappear, so I don't know what..."

"Not ghosts." Spike said.

"Who's that? Dawn asked.

"Hold on." Buffy said. "You know what they are?" She asked Spike.

"Manifest spirits controlled by a talisman, raised to seek vengeance. A 4- year-old could figure it." Spike said.

"Hang tight. I'll find you. These things can hurt you. You can hurt them too. Find a weapon. We'll come for you guys." Buffy said to Dawn before she hung up. "Spike, you gonna help us out?"

"This is my home. I belong here. Always been here. Cheers for stopping by." Spike muttered. He turned to the wall and put his hand on it. "It's in the wall."

"I'll get back to you." Buffy said. She kicked the door open and walked out into the seemingly deserted corridor. "Guys? Resentful dead guys? This can't be good. Come on, manifest spirits, raised up, controlled by a… talisman." Buffy pulled out her cell phone and dialed Xander's number. "Xander?" Buffy asked when he picked up.

…

Dawn, Kit, and Carlos, the kids Dawn met up with, were in a different area of the basement than Buffy.

"We need to find some kind of weapon just to hold them off." Dawn told them. Carlos found some bricks on a nearby utility shelf.

"I got these." He said holding them up.

"Kit, gimme your bag." Kit obeyed and Dawn emptied the contents of Kit's purse on the floor and replaced them with the bricks.

"Do you think they're gonna come back? Kit asked.

"Think they're gonna come back? We never left. We'll always be here. Just like you." Dead girl said.

"No."

"Why do you think we picked you? The ones no one will miss. The ones that don't belong. You spend all your time trying to get out of high school, and now you'll never ever leave." Dawn swung the brick-bag at the Dead Girl's knees and knocked her down. The Dead Janitor was about to knock Dawn back with a punch to the face, but Liam appeared and fired his shotgun at the dead janitor and he disappeared with a scream as the shot hit him. Buffy heard the shot and went straight for the source. Liam cocked his shotgun and shot at the dead girl, then at the dead nerd, both disappearing with screams as the shots hit them. Dawn and her friends stared at Liam.

"Liam!" Dawn said happily and hugged him. He hugged back with one arm as the other one was holding the shotgun. Buffy appeared and saw Dawn hugging Liam and a smile spread across her face.

"Liam!" Buffy said happily and hugged him too as he and Dawn parted.

"Great to see you both." He said to them.

"When did you get back?" Dawn asked.

"About a half hour ago. Heard you two might need some help."

"You thought right." Buffy said and looked at his shotgun. "What's that?"

"My shotgun." Liam lifted it up so they could see. He cocked back the lever to spit out a shell casing and held it up. "Specially made shells. Salt rock. Things can repel spirits and demon of nature."

"Really? How?"

"Salt was used as a purifying agent in older times. You put salt over thresholds and window sills, it keeps out all forms of bad. Better for keeping out vampires." Buffy and Dawn looked impressed by the salt.

"But it doesn't kill us." They all turned to see the three dead spirits before them again.

"I thought you said you killed them." Dawn said.

"Not how it works." Liam said, loading up the shell and firing three more rounds at the spirits, making them disappear. "But I know it hurts them."

"We just need to keep them at bay." Buffy said.

"The bag!" Dawn yelled. Dawn handed Buffy the bag and Liam moved Dawn away. The dead people appeared again and Buffy moved fluidly, knocking the dead people back and away. Liam fired his last two rounds at the dead students and threw his shotgun down, grabbing the metal pipe instead.

"Mom." Liam said. Buffy turned and caught the pipe mid-flight. "Do you really want to keep this up?"

"What're you going to do, kill us?" dead janitor guy asked. Suddenly, they were gone. Buffy lowered the pipe and looked around. The kids looked in awe.

"Are they gone?" Carlos asked.

"Yeah. The talisman must have been destroyed." Buffy said.

"How'd you know it was a talisman?" Dawn asked.

"There's always a talisman. The real question is who put it there. C'mon, you guys, let's go find a way upstairs, assuming there is one."

"Oh, just follow me." Liam pointed to where he entered from and everyone followed him.

"You really weren't kidding about this place. I guess it hasn't changed." Dawn said.

"I don't know. Seems smaller." Buffy said.

"Never been. Can't have an opinion yet." Liam commented.

"Well, give it time. You'll have one." Buffy looked around for another individual. "Where's Delia?" Liam didn't answer right away. He sighed.

"She's at home. She wasn't feeling well."

"Oh. That's too bad. Bet she would have loved this." Dawn said.

"She wouldn't have come anyway."

"Why not?"

"She's sick."

"Sick with what?" Buffy asked. Liam decided to just go ahead and say it to get it over with.

"Morning sickness." This cause Buffy and Dawn to stop and stare at Liam in disbelief. Liam turned to face them.

"Delia's pregnant?"

"Baby, puking, and everything." Liam confirmed. Dawn squealed in delight and hugged Liam.

"Congratulations." She said. Buffy was in shock. Her whole head was spinning. Her second son who wasn't even technically born yet was having a baby which would make her a grandmother and she was barely into her twenty's. But she was none the less happy for Liam.

"That's fantastic." Buffy said happily and hugged Liam.

"Thanks." Liam said unenthusiastically. Buffy pulled away with confusion.

"You don't seem happy." Liam sighed and pointed down the hall.

"Go down there and take a right. Follow the footsteps to the ground floor." He told everyone. Carlos, Kit, and Dawn moved on while Liam talked to his mother. "Mom, this can't happen."

"What do you mean?"

"Mom, who am I? I'm your son and from the future. I don't exist yet. Delia doesn't exist yet. But we're having baby in the past. How can I take care of a pregnant Delia and then a baby while we are here trying to save the future so that we can have a baby? Tell me how this is the least bit normal or even supernaturally normal? This isn't right." Buffy heard her son and understood his reasoning. It seemed impractical from Liam's point of view to have a baby now. But Buffy was still his mother.

"Boo-fucking-who." She said sternly which caught Liam by surprise. "You think because you are on a mission that you can't have any happiness? Liam, you have been in the past for two years and in that time, I have seen nothing but you being hurt and having a whole bunch of crazy shit happen. This is a blessing. Whether it is happening in the past or not. This is a blessing. Embrace it. Enjoy it. Believe me, I've had a kid and I don't want to give him up for anything. I'm glad I have your brother and you'll be glad about our baby. So stop bring so stubborn and stupid and logical. Be happy that something this wonderful has happen to you for once. Ok?" Liam was taken aback by his mother's stern lecture. He never received this much, mostly because she was dead and he didn't get on her bad side while in the past, but this was a very rare opportunity that Liam was glad rarely happened. She was always right in these situations. This included. It was true. Liam had had a hard two years and was given a glorious opportunity for happiness. Liam wanted to take it.

"Ok." He told her. "You're right. I've had a lot of shit happened to me. Between my future going to hell, dying and going to hell, and coming back as a demon, it's time I start being happy."

"Good. Now let's…Wait. You were in hell?" Buffy asked. Liam didn't mean to tell his mother just yet that he went to hell, but now it seemed he couldn't take it back.

"Uh, I meant to tell you that."

"You were in hell when you were dead."

"Technically my body wasn't dead and my soul was in hell." Liam said.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I didn't want to worry you. I know it should be the other way around but I just wanted to see you happy. Also, the hell I was in was more torture and not a spec of pain. Believe me, I was thrilled to get out."

"Liam you can't keep something like this bottled up. You have to tell someone about these things."

"I waited in line." Liam told her.

"Hunh?" Buffy asked not getting it.

"That was the hell I was in. I waited in line for 40 years. I couldn't get out, I couldn't do anything other than bang my head against the wall as I waited. Believe me, I was glad to have gotten to the front and Willow brought me out." Buffy starred at her son stunned at his description of his time in hell.

"Wow that sounds horrible."

"It was. Can we get out of here and talk about it later?" Liam asked. Buffy nodded and they both left. Eventually they found the stairs and headed out. They stopped at a corner. Buffy turned to Kit and Carlos who were talking to Dawn.

"You guys are gonna be Ok. School is intense, but you'll do all right as long as you're careful. And you might want to think about sticking together." Buffy said.

"Thank you." Kit said. She hugged Buffy.

"Yeah, I mean it. You are the coolest mom ever." Carlos said. Buffy looked self-conscious and played with her hair. Liam smiled and agreed with Carlos. Dawn saved Buffy from further embarrassment by ushering her friends away.

"Ok. Come on, we still have a few more classes to live through." Dawn said. She kissed Buffy's cheek and hugged Liam before they walk off. Buffy and Liam watched for a few seconds before Principal Wood approached them.

"Curiouser and curiouser." He said.

"What is?" Buffy asked.

"Carlos Trejo and Kit Holburn, right? Possibly the only two students in this school whose files are as thick as yours was."

"You really did your homework, didn't you?"

"I was looking for one or both of them to actually implode in a fearsome way right before midterms. And now I see that you got 'em socializing and hugging and actually, if I'm not mistaken, headed to class."

"Well, we shared an, uh..."

"Encounter." Liam finished.

"I'm sorry. I don't believe we've met." Mr. Wood said. Liam held out his hand.

"Angel Summers. I'm Buffy's husband." Liam said making Buffy stare at him in shock.

"Well, you have a remarkable wife."

"Thank you."

"Look, I know you're probably more than happy to get out of this place. But I gotta tell you, Mrs. Summers, I think you belong here." Principal Wood said.

"Hmm, new?" Buffy asked.

"Listen, I know this school's reputation. What, you think I got this job based on seniority? We got a lot of troubled students here, and just enough money to keep this place from caving in."

"Yeah, you might need a little extra there."

"Well, we do have a community outreach program. And the money we could pay you… wouldn't even fold. But it would just be a couple of days a week."

"Are you asking me to be a counselor?"

"Well, we have a guidance counselor, but I was thinking the kids could use someone, you know, closer to their age who still..."

"I'm in!"

"What, you serious? You-you did hear the part about the money, right?"

"Yeah, I heard. My schedule might be a little funtastic, but, uh, I'll work it out. I'd like to keep an eye on this place."

"Well, that's great. Look at that. It's not even noon, and I've already bullied my first family member into helping out. I'm going to be the best principal ever." The Principal walked away. Buffy looked pleased like maybe things will be working out after all. She turned to Liam and squealed.

"Oh my God!" Buffy almost screamed as they started to walk out to Liam's car. "Can you believe that!?"

"Wow. You're only here for a few hours and you wind up with a job." Liam said.

"Way better than Giles' ever was!"

"Yes. Because you're not a stuffy librarian."

"Wait till I tell your father!"

"He'll be proud."

"Wait till I tell Willow!"

"She'll be psyched."

"Wait till I tell Gunn! He's going to be so impressed!"

"Yup."

…

Liam and Buffy arrived at the Summers house a little while later. Liam opened the door and Buffy practically ran around searching for Angel and found him in the living room. She jumped into his arms and squealed.

"I got a job!" She squeaked.

"A job?" Angel asked. Delia sat up from the couch to listen.

"Yeah. Helped save some kids, got them to go to class, and the new principle offered me a job."

"That's great." Angel hugged Buffy. Connor giggled at the scene form his crib. Buffy saw and let go of Angel to see her infant.

"Did you hear Connor? Mommy got a job. It's fantastic."

"And speaking off fantastic and babies…." Liam said. He went over to Delia and hauled her up to her feet. Angel and Buffy looked at them. "We need to talk." Liam said.

Delia looked at Delia with concern. "Liam, I know that having this baby is wrong considering where we come from, and I know it's irresponsible, but we should really…" She didn't finish as Liam kissed her passionately. She was surprised but kissed back anyway. He parted from her and smiled. Delia still looked surprise. "Kiss. I thought you didn't like the idea of us having a baby in the past."

"Oh, it's completely crazy." Liam agreed with her. "But to quote you, I specialize in the crazy. We are having a baby and we are going to be happy about it." Liam kissed her passionately again.

"But what about…" Liam cut her off with another kiss. "Don't you think that…." Liam kissed her again.

"Delia….shut up and be happy." Liam said. Delia stared at him and a smile began to grow on her face.

"We're having a baby." She whispered.

"That's right."

"We're having a baby." She said louder.

"Right again."

"We're having a baby!" she yelled.

"I know." Liam hugged her, lifted her up and spun her around. He set her down and kissed her again, then kissed her stomach and hugged it. Delia hugged his head and smiled. Buffy was smiling with tears in her eyes, happy to see her son looking so happy. Angel saw this and came over to her, wrapping her in his arms and they both looked at their son and daughter-in-law.

…

**Los Angeles **

**Daniel Bordeaux's office**

**Later that night**

Vincent Holden came from the elevator leading into Daniel Bordeaux's office and met up with six armed security men. "You two cover the elevator." He indicated to two of the men. "Hang back and be ready. Stay in the corners and stay alert." He indicted to the four other men. He went into Bordeaux's office and closed the stained glass doors, locking it with the new security lock and combination. He wasn't taking any chances with this hood guy. He heard about Corbin Fries and the woman and didn't want the same thing to happen here. He looked to Bordeaux and nodded. Bordeaux nodded and went to look out the window. "It's past ten. He's not getting in here." Holden informed him. Bordeaux looked out of his office window at the dark streets of LA. He didn't notice the arrow that was shot at the concrete next to his window with a rope attached to the end and it locked itself in place.

Down on the street below, two vans were parked next to each other. One had the special ops team of Wolfram and Hart. Lilah called them in, not trusting the security team of Bordeaux's. The leading commander was Agent Hauser, a hard-nosed commander who had no remorse for any collateral damage or anyone who he hurt. He and his men readied themselves by cocking and checking weapons. As soon as they had eyes on the archer, they would move in.

In the other van, Lilah and Gavin were sitting, looking at security monitors. They had hacked into the camera systems to look for any signs of the archer. They weren't taking anything up to chance either. These white hoods have already caused enough damage to let them roam free.

"All seems clear." Gavin told his colleague.

"Sure it does." Lilah said sounding unconvinced.

Up in Bordeaux's office, Bordeaux was still looking out of his window, partly hoping that the archer would arrive so that he could personally see him taken down. He would be relieved if he didn't show, but that would mean that he would still be out there and would plan another meeting with him, only at the end with an arrow through his chest. The lights went out and everyone in the office looked around. Bordeaux and Holden looked towards the locked glass door and a few men got their guns out, ready. The lights went out in the hallway leading to the elevator too. The men readied themselves and looked towards the elevator. The elevator dinged and they raised their weapons. The elevator doors only opened a little bit before an arrow was shot out and hit one of the guards at the door leading to Bordeaux's office. He fired his gun aimlessly in the air as he was hit. He fell to the floor dead. The two man at the elevator were hit multiple times by the archer's bow and fell to the floor unconscious. The archer took cover behind a column and threw his bow, hitting another guard. The archer scaled the walls and grabbed another guard with his arms and legs, bringing him down and knocking him out. The archer rolled and retrieved his bow, taking cover behind another column as the last guard fired at him. The archer didn't look at all scared.

Inside the office, Bordeaux heard the gunfire outside his stained glass door and listened to it stop. There was a deadly silence in the office. The guards held their weapons, ready for anything. The silence was broken by a body going through the stained glass door. A guard fired and killed his fellow guard who was the one that went through the door. The archer peered around a corner and fired an arrow, hitting the guard that killed his fellow guard in the chest. The last guard came at him and he was quickly incapacitated by the archer hitting him a number of times and finally hitting him in the jugular. The archer aimed his bow and fired an arrow towards Bordeaux, missing him. He pulled out another arrow and aimed it at him. Bordeaux looked to the arrow in the wall and back at the archer.

"You missed." Bordeaux said.

"Really." The archer replied. Bordeaux looked alarmed. Suddenly the archer bow was grabbed by Holden and he punched the archer. He lost his bow and the two engage in hand to hand combat. In the scuffle, Bordeaux made his way out of the office and called Lilah on his phone.

"He's here." He told her.

…

In the van, Lilah was wondering how the archer managed to evade all security cameras. Even the cameras in Bordeaux office should the guards and Bordeaux in their positions before the lights went out. They were on a loop. Lilah received the call from Bordeaux and called the ops team. Hauser and his team moved out of the van and hurried into the building.

…

Holden slammed the archer into the glass table and the archer grabbed his arm and held his head with his legs. He pulled and kept Holden in an arm lock. Holden got himself out and they both stood up ready for to go again. The archer placed his hand on the ground and spun kicked Holden. He used the couch as support and grabbed Holden around the neck with his legs again and flipped him over. Holden pulled out a knife and tried to stab the archer but he side-stepped him and Holden slammed into a vase. They reengaged. The archer seemed more skilled as he kept dodging, blocking and punching Holden in key points on his body, making him tired. As this was going on, Hauser and his team were moving up the stairs to Bordeaux's office. The archer and Holden continued to do their special dance in Bordeaux's office. Holden stabbed and the archer blocked it, grabbed his arm, and punched him in the face. Then he knocked him down with another punch. Holden saw a machine pistol and grabbed it. The archer ran towards Bordeaux's desk. Holden got up and fired the gun as the archer jumped over the desk and threw one of his arrow shaped flechettes at Holden, hitting him in the chest. Holden went down and so did the archer. He landed on the ground and rolled over. He laid still.

Hauser and his men came out of the stair well and with guns raised and tactical lights on the rifles on. They saw the damage the archer caused. Dead and unconscious bodies littered the floor. Up ahead, in Bordeaux's office, they saw Holden lying on the ground with the flechette in his chest. The archer stirred from behind Bordeaux's desk and gasped. He rolled over and took out the bullet from his chest plate.

"Lay down your weapons or we will open fire." He heard one of the ops members say. The archer grabbed his discarded bow and waited. Two team members entered the office. "I repeat, lay down your weapons." They looked around the office. The archer popped his head out and fired an arrow at the tactical light of one of the rifles. Hauser and the rest of his men came in and started firing their weapons. The archer ran to the windows. The bullets that missed him broke the windows and the archer jumped right out of one. They were on the tenth floor of a twelve story building. Hauser was stunned at what just happened and looked out the window, just in time to see the archer zip lining down the rope of the arrow he fired into the concrete wall before he went into the building.

"Tell me you just saw that." Lilah said looking at the security monitor. Gavin was also stunned at the archer zip lining out of the building.

"All units, the archer is across the street from the building. All units converge." Gavin said into a radio. Another van filled with an ops team was parked down the street. All the members got out and saw the archer land on the pavement. They raised their rifles and fired. The archer dodged the bullets and ran into an alley. The ops team followed suit but when they reached the alley, the archer was nowhere in sight. They went into the alley and saw that there were no exits out of the alley. Lilah and Gavin came into the alley and saw only the ops team.

"Where is he?" Lilah asked.

"He disappeared ma'am." One of them said.

"Like magic disappeared?"

"Not sure. He came in. We came after. He wasn't here."

"Linwood is not going to be happy about this." Gavin told Lilah.

"We may not have gotten the guy, but we did stop him from killing and stealing from Bordeaux. That's something." Lilah said.

…

The next morning, Bordeaux's office was being repaired from the attack the previous night. But Bordeaux wasn't too happy about something. He was on the phone with Lilah and was shouting at her.

"What the hell are you talking about?!" Bordeaux shouted into his phone. "50 million dollars doesn't just up and vanish." Bordeaux checked his account today and saw that the exact amount of money that archer demanded form him was missing.

"_I'm sorry sir, but we can't seem to find it. It's untraceable." _Lilah told him.

"Untraceable? Its 50 million dollars! Find it!" Bordeaux slammed his phone on his desk and sat in his chair with his head in his hands. "How did he do it?" Bordeaux asked to no one. He didn't notice that just to his right was the arrow that the archer missed at him from last night. It had a device on it and a light on it was blinking green.

…

On a computer screen a pop-up said _Transferring Funds_ with a dollar amount in the millions and increasing. The money was being taken out of _Bordeaux Multinational _and intoa _Trust Account. _On another screen were different organizations and bank accounts Bordeaux scammed with a certain amount of money that was being transferred into the accounts. They transfers started saying complete on them and finally finished. The archer was sitting in a chair and had his hood down. He had long shoulder length black hair and watched the transfers happen. A women, in the same type of suit and armor with fiery red hair, came up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder. Another man with shoulder length dirty blonde hair wearing a leather coat came up too and watched the progress. All three were in some kind of concrete room lit by lights on the walls. On the desk they were at, lay a circular path with the same symbol that was on the arrow head. A stake with two angelic wings coming out of it. Around the edges of the patch were words that read _Nothing Wrong With Killing As Long As the Right People Are Killed._


	5. Beneath You

Chapter 5: Beneath You

**Sunnydale **

**Nighttime**

It seemed to be a happy time in Sunnydale for once. It wasn't very often that happiness happened to anyone, especially the Scooby gang. Buffy was excited for her new job at the school that gave her hell for three years, Dawn had new friends and liked them a lot, Connor was beginning to stand on his own without the need of furniture which made Buffy and Angel very happy, and Liam and Delia were excited for their baby they were having. Buffy was happy for them, then got worried and scared because she realized that she was going to be a grandmother and she was barely in her twenties. But since Angel was over two hundred years old, it kind of evened it out.

Buffy was on patrol that night and battling a vampire. It was just a usual night for her. Nothing special. That all changed when the vampire in front of her turned to dust. Buffy looked to see who could have killed it and saw to her surprise and happiness, Faith standing with her stake held in front of her. Buffy smiled.

"Faith!" Buffy said.

"Hey B. Looked like you needed help." Faith said. Buffy stepped forward and hugged Faith like the sister that she became last year. Faith hugged back with a smiled.

"So great to see you again." Buffy said pulling away.

"It's great to be seen." Faith smiled.

"So, where ya been?" Buffy asked.

"Boston."

"Boston?"

"Thought I'd go see the old stomping grounds, try to get away from being a Slayer for a while. Clear my head." Faith said and pocketed her stake. Buffy did the same with hers.

"Did it work?"

"No. Got attacked by a group of Oglar demons. Nasty guys. They got fur and slime."

"I could have told you."

"Yeah." Faith looked around her, trying to sense something.

"He's not here." Buffy said as they started to walk.

"Who?"

"Spike."

"I... I wasn't looking for him. Where's Angel?"

"He's at home putting Connor to bed."

"Oh. How is the rugrat?"

"He's amazing." Buffy said giddily. "He's starting to stand on his own and soon he'll begin to walk."

"Wow. Guess I missed out on a lot."

"Oh you did. When did you get back?"

"Pretty much now."

"Oh. Are you staying at your apartment or do you need a place to stay? We had a spare bedroom. But Liam and Delia got back before you did and they're now occupying it."

"Got back? Got back from where?"

"England. They moved there to help out Willow after she turned dark and tried to end the world. She killed Warren. And Giles took her to England to control her powers."

"No fucking way." Faith said in shock. She'd known Willow, not as long as Buffy did, but she knew her enough to be a nice harmless girl. Now she's hearing she almost destroyed the world.

"Yes fucking way." Buffy confirmed.

"Red turned in to Big Bad Red?"

"Yup. She tried to kill us too."

"Damn."

"Yeah. She tried to do that too." Faith started to laugh hysterically. Buffy looked at her and Faith tuned it down to spasmodic giggles.

"Sorry." She mumbled.

"It's ok. You weren't here so you wouldn't realize the seriousness of it."

"No I really am sorry."

"It's ok. So, anyway, Willow went back to England with Giles, Liam, and Delia and I haven't heard from her all summer. Giles called and said she was doing well and that Liam and Delia were returning. Angel and I moved into Willow's old room and gave Liam and Delia my old room. Dawn's still in her room. So I don't think we have a room for you. Unless you don't mind the couch."

"You know, I think I'll stay with you guys tonight. I don't really want to face Spike tonight." Faith said solemnly. She really didn't want to face her boyfriend yet. Buffy could see it on her face. It was a combination of fear and shame.

"I don't think you'll have to worry about that." Buffy assured her.

"Why?"

"He's, uh, he's not back." Buffy lied.

"Oh. He left?"

"Yeah."

"Where'd he go?"

"You know, I don't know. I haven't heard from him all summer. Cordy and Groo either. Angel and his team are getting really worried about her. As are the rest of us."

"Weird. Everyone leaving at around the same time with no word."

"But now people are coming back. You for example. And then Liam and Delia."

"Yeah. How are they anyway?" Faith asked.

"Getting ready." Buffy said with a slight smile.

"Ready for what?"

"To have a baby." Buffy giggled again. Faith stopped dead in her tracks and looked at Buffy.

"A baby?"

"Yeah."

"They're from the future and they're having a baby in the past." Faith summed up.

"Liam was freaked out at first. We all were. But we came around and now he can't wait to be a father. He's like Angel when he found out I was pregnant."

"Geez." Faith said and they started walking again. "Are they going to stay in the past or are they returning to the future?" Buffy had a curious look on her face. She never gave it much thought. She had gotten so use to her son being in the past with her that she didn't even think about if he was going to return to the future. Or if he was ever going to.

"I'm not sure. We don't really talk about the future all that much."

"What about their plans to save us from whatever comes?"

"Nadda." Buffy replied. Liam and Delia never talked about their plans to save the future. For the past two years it had been about getting her and Angel back together and then saving Connor form a maniac and a demon. Now she didn't know why he was sticking around. Maybe he wasn't done. Or maybe he liked it in the past. She didn't know. She doubt that she would get an answer from him, considering how secretive she was. She pushed the thoughts to the side as something else she wanted to know came to mind.

"So, what happened with you and Spike anyway? What was the big fight about?" Faith stopped dead and looked pensive. Buffy stooped to and looked at Faith. "Faith?"

Faith looked up to her with a pained look. "It was….it was kinda bad." Faith mustered as the memories of what happened came back to her.

"How bad?"

"We, uh…we talked about…us. You know…and what you and Liam said." Buffy nodded as she remembered the conversation they all had. "We talked…and then we yelled."

"Why?"

"I wanted to try and make our own love life that was…like your and Angels. He just wanted to go back to how we were before. Where we didn't worry about all that." Faith started to tear up. The memories were starting to get painful.

"Faith?" Buffy placed a consoling hand on her sister slayer. "What happened?"

Then Faith started to cry. "He raped me." She said. Buffy's face turned to shock. "He tried to rape me and I pushed him off and….oh god." Faith cried and Buffy held her, rubbing her back consolingly. "He tried to rape me. How could someone that you love and loves you rape you?"

"I don't know." Buffy said. "I don't know." She kept on holding for a while and tried to get her to calm down.

…

**Warehouse in LA**

**Same Time**

Men were pushing small boxes across a table and handing it to other men. Both men and women wearing doctor's masks and stripped to their bare undergarments were analyzing some sort of product over on another table. Obviously they were inspecting and making cocaine.

"This isn't crack." A man said. He was medium built wearing a designer suit, a small goatee, and showing off his product to a couple of men. Another man in a suit with a briefcase with the letters HW on it was overseeing the production. "Anyone can sell crack. All you need is a street corner and a hoodie. This is pharmaceutical grade oxycodone. It is caviar. It is champagne. You sell this in fancy houses with rich kids and celebrities that got money to burn." The men nodded in delight to the dealer.

"Mr. DeMarco." The lawyer said. "I hate to rush things but I think it would be best if we wrap up here." The lawyer was anxious and scared. He should be. Twice the white hooded vigilantes have taken on some of their clients and put them in jail and killed their lawyers. He was afraid he would be next.

"Would you relax." DeMarco said. "Those hood guys of yours aren't getting in here. Besides, what would they want with a drug dealer like me?" Before the lawyer could say anything further, the lights went out. Everyone looked around. "Check it out." The dealer told a man. The man went up a flight of stairs with his gun out and disappeared around a few crates. Several seconds went by and they heard nothing. Then they all heard the man that went up, yelp. His gun that he had was thrown of the second floor and landed at the feet of DeMarco. DeMarco picked it up. "Whoever you are, you think you're going to get out of this alive?"

"I was thinking the same thing." They all heard a voice say. "But towards your lawyer." DeMarco looked to the lawyer who looked scared. Then they saw a man appear from the second floor. He wore a leather coat that was buttoned up to his neck. Over the coat, the man wore the same armor that the other hoods wore. A chest plate, vambraces on his forearms, plated boots, shoulder plates, and armor to cover his biceps. He had two curved swords at his sides. His white hood covered his eyes but they could all see that this was a third man due to his dirty blonde colored beard. "We target you, because you are with people like him." The man said and looked towards the lawyer, who looked even more scared. The man took out a canister with a pin in it and took out the pin. He held it for a few seconds before throwing it in the middle of the floor below. It blew and let out a big flash. It was a flash bang. Everyone on the lower level covered their eyes. The flash bang blinded them and impaired their hearing for several seconds, giving the swordsman enough time to jump down. Two men had their eyes back but not there hearing. They ran to him but were quickly put down by a serious of blocks and punches from him. He then kicked the man that came at him from behind and punched him down on his head, knocking him out. Another man came at him and tried to kick him. The swordsman grabbed his leg and slammed his entire body on the ground. He looked back up and saw the dealer and the lawyer escaping through another door. He followed. The dealer and the lawyer hurried up a second flight of stairs to the third level where boxes and bags were being packed with the cocaine. DeMarco and the lawyer entered through a door.

"He's here!" DeMarco said.

"He who?" a guy asked.

"One of the guys in the hoods!"

"Oh god. You gotta get me out of here." The lawyer whimpered in fear. DeMarco grabbed him.

"Maybe if I give him you, he'll forget all about me." DeMarco though out loud. The lawyer looked even more scared.

"Try again." The swordsman said. A body fell from above and everyone turned to see him standing on the level above with his two swords drawn. The swords were short and curved slightly with pointed ends, teeth like serrations in the middle of the blades with a silver finish. One of the men on the level pointed his gun at the swordsman and fired. The swordsman dropped down, dodging the bullets. He rolled towards the man that was shooting and knocked the gun away with one sword and slashed the guy's leg with the other in clean precision. Another guy started firing at him and the swordsman ducked behind a crate. He ducked out quickly and threw a small throwing knife at the man, getting him in the arm. As he screamed in pain, the swordsman ran to him and with his momentum, slammed him into the glass table. Two more men came at him. The swordsman took his blades and connected them together at the pommel so that he now had a double sword with the arc of the blades facing opposite of each other. He treated it like a staff and knocked the hands of the men away from him before finishing them both of with clean slashes to the torsos. The Lawyer got scared and started to run away. The swordsman saw this and pressed a button on a device on his left vambraces. The blade edges of his swords glowed a light blue and let out a low humming sound. The swordsman threw his weapon at the lawyer in an arc. It sliced right through his neck and the lawyer dropped to the ground, now headless. The swordsman held out his palm wear his glow also glowed a light blue color from small lights on it, and the double sword arced around and was guided back to the swordsman like a boomerang. DeMarco too got scared and ran to another door. He was just about to grab the handle when a small throwing knife embedded itself in the knob.

"Please." DeMarco said and turned around with his hands up to see the swordsman approaching him. "Just don't hurt me." He begged.

"Aw, really?" The swordsman said with a boyish smile and took apart his blades, holding one at DeMarco's Adams apple. A man that the swordsman didn't take out silently approached from behind. However the swordsman flipped his other blade in his other hand and stabbed the guy without looking. He took it out and the guy dropped. "Not even a little?" he gave a slight British accent.

Lilah stood before a crime scene as she saw a dozen men and DeMarco being arrested by the cops for drug dealing and manufacturing. She also saw the body bag that held one of her colleagues being pushed away on a gurney. That makes three hoods in total now and Linwood was not happy at all with them. Lilah turned and stared at the top of a building several yards away and saw at the top, perched, the swordsman looking down at his progress. He laid eyes on Lilah and gave her a two fingered salute before turning and leaving with the tail of his coat floating in the wind.

"Ms. Morgan?" Lilah heard someone say. She turned to see a man in suit with a badge on his belt. "You'll have to come with me." He said. Lilah looked back at where the swordsman was and turned back to the man and nodded.

…

After Faith had calmed down, Buffy took her to her house for the night. Faith asked her if she could keep what Spike did between the two of them for now and Buffy agreed. She opened the door and put her bag and keys on the dining room table. "Angel! Dawn! Liam! I'm home! You'll never believe who found me!" Angel came out of the kitchen while Liam and Delia came out of the living room with Connor in Liam's arms. Everyone had a smile grow on their faces at the sight of Faith.

"Aunt Faith!" Liam said, running up to her and hugging her tight with Connor still in his arms. Connor was so close to Faith's breasts that he mistook them for his mothers and grabbed them.

"Whoa!" Faith said and reeled back. "I am not your mother." She said looking amused. Everyone laughed.

"I think he missed his aunt." Liam said. He held Connor out and Faith took him in his arms. Immediately Connor began to giggle at the sight of Faith. "Oh, he definitely missed you."

"Hey kiddo." Faith said and bounced Connor a little, making him squeal in delight. Buffy smiled at the sight. Angel stood back and watched as Faith said hi to Connor. Faith turned to him and he stood straighter. She gave Connor to Buffy, walked over and threw her arms around his neck and Angel hugged her waist.

"It's great to see you." Angel said.

"You too stranger." Faith said. "Where's Dawn?"

"She's down the street with her friend Kit."

"Did you tell her she could go?" Buffy asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I did. I even walked her down there. She said she'd call when she was ready to come home."

"It's 11 already. She better be home…"

"Faith!" Everyone turned and found Dawn standing in the open doorway. She ran up to Faith and hugged her tight, nearly knocking her down. Faith's eyes widened in surprise and she hugged back.

"Hey little woman." Faith said happily. "Great to see ya."

"It's so great to see you too." Dawn said and let go of Faith.

"Ok, you two," Buffy said and pointing at Dawn. "Bedtime. Upstairs and get ready. I'll be up in a minute to say goodnight." Dawn pouted a little, but eventually obliged after Buffy looked at her sternly. "Ok, I think we should all get to bed. Including you." She said to now a tired looking Connor." Buffy turned to Faith. "So, couch?"

"She's staying here?" Angel asked.

"She's standing right here." Faith said.

"Sorry."

"I can go get the blankets." Liam said and went upstairs to fetch them and some pillows. Faith turned to look at Delia.

"So I hear your pregnant?" she said to her future sister slayer.

"Yes. I am." Delia said happily.

"Congratulations." Faith meant it. Delia smiled, stepped forward and hugged Faith. Faith hugged back.

Later that night, Buffy laid next to Angel in their big comfy bed in what used to be Willow's room and once her mother's room. Angel slept peacefully while Buffy had a gruesome nightmare. She started to scream and Angel bolted upright in bed. He started to shake her, but she wouldn't wake up. Liam, Dawn, Delia, and Faith came rushing into the room. Faith started to shake Buffy along with Angel and the blonde sat upright in bed.

"I heard screaming." Buffy said.

"That was you." Angel said.

"There was a girl."

"That would be me." Faith said.

"Uh… no… it was..."

"Just a dream… it was just a dream right?" Dawn asked.

"From beneath you, it devours." Buffy said. Liam and Delia gave each other the same alarmed look. "That's what she said and then they… there's more like her, out there, somewhere..." Buffy got up, walked to the window, and looked out. "… And they're gonna die."

"Well, we'll stop it. Can I go back to sleep now?" Dawn asked.

"Uh, yeah. I guess."

"Night." Dawn walked out and went back to bed.

Liam urged Delia to go to bed and after she left, he stayed behind as Faith left the room too. Buffy looked over at him and he hugged her. "Are you ok mom?" he asked sincerely.

"I'll be fine. Just go back to bed, ok?" Buffy said.

"We'll sort this out later. Right?"

"Of course. I promise." They both looked at each other caringly. "I promise." She said again.

"Ok." Liam still stood in front of Buffy. She saw out of the corner of her eye, her husband and Liam's father. Liam looked so much like him. They could so pass for twins.

She looked up at him and smiled. "You got your father's looks, that's for sure."

"But I have your eyes and your smile." He smiled at her. Buffy tousled his short hair and he swatted her hand away playfully. They both laughed a little before hugging again. Liam gave his mother a quick kiss on the cheek and turned to his father. The two hugged and said their good-nights. Angel watched him go with a smile then got up and wrapped his arms around Buffy. She leaned into him and held onto his hands clasped around her stomach. They stayed like that for a while until Buffy started to fall asleep. Angel picked her up and laid her gently in the bed, covering her with the comforter.

…

Once the sun was up and everyone in town was ready for the day, Xander had taken Dawn, Buffy, and Faith to the new Sunnydale High school. Dawn went to class while Buffy should Faith the new school

"So this is the new Sunnydale High, huh?" Faith asked.

"Yup. And you'll never guess, but this is also where I work." Buffy said. Faith started to laugh and she slapped Buffy's back. "Get outta town, B! Ain't no way a Slayer would work in the place that tried to kill her for three years." Faith looked at Buffy who stared at the brunette, hands on hips and a stern look on her face. "God, you do work here, don't you?"

"It's not that bad. Really."

"Sure! Let me guess, you're the librarian, right?"

"No, a counselor."

"Seriously? You didn't even finish college!"

"I know. Huh."

"What? Don't tell me: the principal just walked right up and said 'Oh, you're Buffy Summers, I've read your file and I think you should work here.'" Buffy stared at Faith. "Damn B! You just landed the job from hell on the Hellmouth! Guess I gotta check out the library."

"Nope. The Hellmouth is under the principal's office."

"What's under my office?" Mr. Wood asked behind Buffy and Faith. The two girls spun around in identical twirls and faced the tall black man.

"Principal Wood!" Buffy said.

"That would be me, yes."

"Uh, there's nothing under YOUR office. I was talking about the old high school. Uh, um, the basement… was under the office."

"Who is this?"

"This is my… Cousin Faith from Boston. She's living here now. Just thought I'd show her around the new campus because she's been here before. Not here, here, but she's been to Sunnydale and the old Sunnydale High School. Ok, I'm done."

"Hey." Faith said.

"Nice to meet you." Principal Wood said.

"Yeah. You too. Catch ya later B. I'm gonna go get my apartment… settled, now."

"Ok. Bye." Faith ran off and Buffy turned back the Principal Wood and smiled.

…

Linwood Murrow was in his office on the phone with a client, and losing them. Since the arrival of three hooded vigilantes terrorizing clients and killing their lawyers, clients started to pack up and leave.

"Yes, yes. I know." Linwood said into the phone. "It's being handled…..We didn't count on three of them. We only know what…..I promise you we can…." Linwood looked at the phone in his hand and hung it up. He sighed and looked up to Gavin and Lilah standing in her office. "That's five clients today. We are losing a lot of powerful people because of these hoods. I want them found."

"We are trying sir. But it seems they target random clients." Lilah said. "There's no way to find where they will be next."

"What about our records? Couldn't they have hacked into the system?"

"We found out that they did but there wasn't any way to track them. Whoever they are, they're good." Linwood didn't like that answer and slammed his fists on his desk.

"This is getting out of hand. If the Senior Partners get wind of all this, there will be serious consequences. To all of us. We need to find them."

"I'm sorry sir, but we can't. We don't know where they'll strike next."

"Or maybe we do." Gavin spoke up. Lilah and Linwood looked at him. "Aside from our clients being arrested, what's the most common factor of the attacks?"

"They appear and disappear out of thin air?" Lilah said sarcastically.

"They kill only the lawyers. Specifically our lawyers."

"They're not targeting criminals. They're targeting us." Linwood realized.

"They're turning to public against us. If people know that we help spread evil, they'll want nothing to do with us. It's an old war tactic to sway public opinion."

"What do you have in mind?"

"To stop them, we'll need to set a trap. I just so happen to know that a convoy of firearms are being shipped in tonight by Emil, the underworld arms dealer. He's trading with someone members tonight. We will have one of our people there to oversee the shipment and make the transactions. Along with a team of highly trained snipers, looking out for them. Once we get them in sight, we'll incapacitated them, or kill them, and do the same with the rest."

Linwood smiled mischievously. "That's good. That's real good. Set it up. And have three of us down there. Maybe we'll get lucky and have all of them come for them. Get them in one strike."

"I'll prep the team." Lilah said and she and Gavin turned to leave the office. Linwood sat in his chair, pleased of the new plan but wary of these hooded vigilantes harming the firm. In just one month, they've managed to do more damage to them, then Angel and his team have done in four years. They needed to take them out. Outside of Linwood's office window, stuck in the concrete wall was a black arrow with a small device on it with a blinking red light.

…

"How was school?" Angel asked as Buffy and Dawn got home.

"Fine." Both of them said.

"Interesting." Liam said from the living room. He and Delia were watching TV and taking it a little easy since they found out the big news about Delia's pregnancy. "So what evil thing happened today? Lycans, Ogres, Lycan-Orgers?"

"None of the above." Buffy answered sounding amused. "So what's for dinner?" Buffy asked Angel.

"Food. Dawn, homework now. Buffy, you need to call Gunn, he's been meaning to talk to you." Angel said. Buffy smiled as Dawn walked upstairs and Angel walked back into the kitchen. Buffy walked over to the phone and just as she was about to pick it up, it rang.

"Hello?" Buffy asked.

"B?" Faith asked.

"Yeah. What's up?"

"Nuttin. I just wanted to know if…"

"Yes, you can come over for dinner. I don't know what we're having, but I'm sure it's good."

"6:00 sound fine?"

"Sounds great. See you in a little while." Buffy hung up and dialed Gunn's number. He picked up on the third ring. They talked for about an hour and a half before Angel called that supper was ready. Faith showed up early and they all started supper about 5:47. After supper, Liam and Buffy did the dishes. They splashed around a bit and had a small water fight. Faith showed Dawn some cool slayer moves she'd picked up since becoming a Slayer while Angel watched a little TV with Delia. It was the news of course. Angel hardly ever watched anything that Buffy, Dawn, and Liam watched. The news report however was fascinating to them.

"_And it looks like the duo is in fact a trio." _The anchorman said.

"Hey, Buffy. Liam. Get in here. You'd want to see this." Liam and Buffy came in to watch the report. Faith and Dawn had stopped training and watched.

"_Last night, another hooded man single handedly stopped a well-known drug dealer in LA at around midnight. And it seems the only casualty of the attack was an apparent lawyer of Mr. DeMarco who seemed to be conspiring with him to distribute the drugs to rich celebrities. It has been confirmed that this attack was related to the two other attacks on well-known criminals earlier this month, including Corbin Fries, a well-known to be mobster, and the millionaire business man, Daniel Bordeaux. In both cases, lawyers of the victims were killed in the process. It is speculated that the 'Los Angeles Vigilantes' are targeting criminals with corrupt lawyers in their pockets."_

"So some guys in hoods are trying to play hero?" Buffy asked.

"And doing a good job at it." Faith said.

"Bordeaux?" Liam whispered and looked thoughtful.

"What was that, honey?" Delia asked.

"Bordeaux." Liam said louder. "That name sounds familiar somehow. I can't place my finger on it, but I know that name.

"Well apparently he liked to scam people out of their money. It was how he got to be so rich." Angel said.

"And he wasn't killed?"

Angel shook his head. "All the criminals are facing charges and the corrupt lawyers were killed." Liam looked back at the screen with a thoughtful look.

"Liam?" Delia asked. "Everything ok?"

"Yeah. Just interesting." Liam replied. But something was off to him. He'd lived in LA for most of his life and heard all the stories that could be told from his father and friends. He never heard anything about vigilantes. Something wasn't right to him.

…

At about eight, Xander knocked on the door with a girl next to him. Her hand was hurt and Xander explained where he had found her. They came in and Buffy got the first aid kit. Delia sat down on a chair and stretched out, Dawn sat next to Nancy, the girl that had hurt her hand, Angel sat next to Buffy on the coffee table, Faith sprawled on the floor, Liam stood and leaned on the chair Delia occupied, and Xander sat next to Nancy on her other side. Nancy told her story.

"Whatever it was, it was big, and strong… stronger than, I mean, I don't know how it's possible. You hear things in this town, living here in Sunnydale, but nobody actually believes them. You know, you'd have to be crazy, and... and you guys think that I'm crazy don't you?" Nancy said.

"I don't." Xander said.

"We've seen things too Nancy." Buffy said.

"And we're gonna take care of this. It's your lucky night… considering, you know, your dog just got all ate up and stuff." Faith said.

"Hey, can I freshen up your tea?" Xander asked.

"No, t-that's ok, thanks." Nancy said.

"So you say this thing just came up out of the ground without any warnings or signs or anything?" Liam asked.

"Just this kind of rumbling, you know. Like just before an earthquake?"

"From beneath you it devours." Buffy muttered.

"What?"

"Nothing." Buffy looked at Angel and he nodded, knowing that they had something brewing. Liam looked down at Delia and they both had the same expression as Liam's parents.

"Nothing good." Dawn said.

"It's sounding monsterific all right." Xander said.

"Should we round up the gang?"

"Good thinking except... this is the gang."

"Look, Nancy, we're gonna get into this, and I promise you, if your dog is alive, we're gonna find him, the only thing I need is a little…" Buffy started, but a familiar voice cut her off.

"What you need is help." Spike said. "Fortunately… you've got me." Faith stood up and stared at Spike. Buffy looked stunned. The last time she had seen Spike, he had had his shirt open, hair longer and darker, and he had looked much paler. Now he was back to his slicked back, bleached blonde look and he had on a tight blue shirt. Spike stared at Faith just as stunned as Buffy looked. Liam looked surprised and little glad to see his favorite Uncle, but he could tell that something was different with Spike and he had a strong feeling what it was.

"Faith." Spike said.

"Spike." Faith said.

"Who's that?" Nancy asked.

"He's... it's Faith's..." Dawn tried.

"He's Faith's boyfriend." Xander clarified.

"And I'm thinking it's a little more complicated than that." Nancy said.

"Always is." Xander said.

"You've changed." Faith said to Spike.

"I have." Spike said.

"New clothing, better hair, not so much with the crazy. I like it. Now what do you want?" Buffy said, standing and walking over to Faith protectively.

"Easy. If you think I like putting myself here, surrounded by people who don't particularly like me, you'd be wrong."

"If you're uncomfortable, we can make you leave." Xander said.

"If you're a dumbass, I could hurt you." Liam responded to Xander and glared at him. Spike was still his uncle and he had a feeling what had happened during Faith and Spike's fight months ago, mostly by the tension he felt in the room.

"I'll be quick. We need to talk. You want to do that here or privately?" Spike asked Buffy.

"I'm thinking here. In the company of good friends with pointy weapons." Xander said.

"You said something about quick?" Buffy asked.

"I did. For a start, and for the record. Last you saw me, I was a mess, out of my head, admitted. Last week living in the school basement… well, you saw me." Spike said.

"You did?" Faith asked.

"Faith, just a second ok? Yes, I saw Spike, I just didn't..." Buffy said.

"What? You just... forgot to mention it?" Dawn asked.

"Things were insane in the basement, I saved your life. We can all discuss this later."

"Sure." Dawn said.

"Whatever you want." Faith said.

"Right. 'Cause that seems to be the only time you let us in Buffy. Whenever you want."

"Now, in fairness to Buffy..." Spike said.

"Shut up Spike!" Xander said.

"Shut up all of you!" Liam yelled. That made Connor get a little fussy from his play pin as he could tell Liam wasn't happy, making him unhappy. "Look, I get that Spike isn't the most loved by everyone, and that things aren't all that great between him and Faith for the moment, but we got a monster out there eating dogs and a woman who came to us for help. Spike's here to offer his help with all of this. I don't know about you guys, but I'd take the offered help and put whatever conflict I have with someone to the side until the issue is done. Can you all do that?" Everyone looked down as they felt chastised by Liam and knew he was right. Something was brewing and they needed to act on it, not fight about petty things, no matter how big they seemed.

"Ok. Give us a second." Buffy said first. She and Faith followed Spike into the small foyer.

"Now was that so hard?" Liam said and turned to go into the kitchen.

"Do not start by saying you're sorry." Faith said to Spike

"I didn't come here to atone." Spike said.

"Then what the hell do you want?" Buffy asked.

"Only to help you guys."

"Help us with what?"

"I was hoping you two could tell me. You're the Slayers, connected to the visions? A long line of worthies? Right? I'm just a guy with his ear to the ground but even I can feel it. Something's coming, I don't know what exactly but something's brewing, and it's so big, ugly, and damned it makes you two and me look like little bitty puzzle pieces. If I'm wrong, say so, lovely, no hard feelings. I'll go out that door and you can lock it behind me with any spell you like. So, am I wrong?"

"Everything about you is wrong Spike." Faith said. Spike went to leave. "But something is coming."

Spike turned back. "You're gonna need some help."

"Since when did you become the champion of the people?" Faith asked.

"I didn't, I'm just a guy who can lend a hand if you all will let me." Spike paused and looked at the two of them. "Ball's in your court Slayers."

"Fine." Buffy said.

"Fine." Faith said. They walked into the living room and Buffy grabbed her coat. "Ok, we're gonna split. Whatever this creatures is it's burrowing through solid ground, that means a strength and power that we don't usually deal with, but we might have to get used to now that the Hellmouth is getting perky."

"Shouldn't we call the police or something?" Nancy asked.

"And tell them..?" Xander asked.

"I'll quit interrupting."

"Xander take Nancy home. Drive, don't walk, and try not to stop until you get there. Angel is going with Faith, Spike, and me." Buffy said.

"Understood." Xander said.

"Is your girlfriend always this… commanding?" Nancy asked.

"Who?" Nancy nodded over at Buffy and Xander's eyes widened. "Buffy? Oh no, no, no, no, no. See, uh... she's a girl, and she's a friend, but-but- but she's not my girlfriend. She's Angel's wife."

"Xander? Little drool." Delia said.

"Spike, Faith, Angel, and I will check out the scene." Buffy said.

"Ok. In the biggest way, I am not loving this plan. I'm not loving Spike." Xander said. He pulled Buffy aside. "He... He tried to rape Faith from what she's told me." Buffy's eyes widened as Xander admitted to knowing about what happened.

"You know?" Buffy said.

"Well, we were sorta talking earlier when she was at school, and she kinda told me. So yeah, I know."

"Does anyone else know?"

"Dawn maybe. I think I told her." Xander said.

"Does anyone else know?" Buffy asked sounding angry.

"Don't think Liam knows. But then again he's from the future so…"

"Zip it. And what happened between those two happened a long time ago and he failed. I know she can take him and I can too if she needs me. Xander take Nancy home, Angel, and I will patrol after we go check out the scene. Afterwards, you can check out the Bronze."

"I'm command central? So, everybody check in with me. Ok, I'll be here doing my homework, but the other one sounded cooler." Dawn said.

"Be safe." Buffy said. "Let's go."

"One second." Liam came out from the kitchen with a can of salt. "First set the wards."

"Salt?" Faith asked.

"Believe it or not, salt is used as purifying agent and can repel most evil beings and spirits. And the best part…" Liam crouched down by the door and drew a salt line by the threshold. "Create salt lines at every entrance and so evil thing can't pass through. Not even vampires with invitations." Liam stood up and tossed the can to Dawn who caught it. "Ward up the place." He commanded.

"Oh, come on." Angel said. "That can't possible work."

"Oh really?" Liam said with smile and a raised eyebrow. He opened the door and gestured with his head. "Walk out." Angel sighed and rolled his eyes. He walked forward to the door and stopped short of the salt line. Angel looked down at it and stood. "What are you waiting for? Cross." Liam egged him on. Angel wanted to step over the salt line but couldn't. He was stuck.

"That can't possibly…" Spike said and tried to cross too. He couldn't either. Both he and Angel were stuck in place, unable to cross the salt line.

"Wow. That works." Buffy said sounding impressed.

"Here's how to break it." Liam said. He nodded to Delia who came over and broke the line with her foot. Spike and Angel immediately jumped forward over the saltine and out of the door. "Be sure that all lines are complete with no breaks." Liam told Dawn who nodded.

"Great. Let's go." Delia said.

"You're staying here." Liam told her.

"Uh, no, no, no. I'm coming."

"Uh, no, no, no. You're pregnant." Liam reminded her.

"Well, I'm not letting you go out there without me."

"And I'm not letting you go out period."

"I'm going where ever you go. End of discussion."

"Fine. Then I'm staying here. End of discussion."

"Ok." Delia said sweetly and brushed passed Liam with the kitchen. Everyone else looked at Liam who looked dumbfounded. He just realized he had been duped by his pregnant wife into staying at the house with her.

"Crap." He muttered to himself and followed his wife into the kitchen.

"Righty-o." Spike said. "Shall we go?" The rest all started to head out, but Dawn stopped Spike.

"Spike." Dawn said. Spike turned to face her. "You sleep right? You, vampires, you sleep?"

"Yeah, what's your point nibblet?" Spike asked.

"Well I can't take you in a fight or anything, even with the chip in your head, but you do sleep. If you hurt my sister or Faith at all, touch them... you're gonna wake up on fire." Spike just stared at her. She walked off towards the kitchen. Spike knew he'd been beat and he walked out of the house.

…

"You three are awfully quiet." Spike said.

"Wouldn't know what to say." Buffy said.

"Fine with me, I was more than half expecting to get an earful from Faith anyway, and when exactly did your sister get unbelievably scary Slayer?"

"What are you doing?" Faith asked.

"What? I told you once, straight up, I'm here to help, and that's all. Think this here is our spot?" Spike played the flashlight beam over the rubble where something had obviously burst up through the concrete.

"How'd you guess?" Angel asked sarcastically.

"I don't fancy sticking my head in there."

"But if something bites it off that'd be a clue." Faith said coldly.

"So, what happened to you?" Buffy asked, trying to relieve some tension between them all.

"Well you saw me. Those ghostly types in the school basement got in my head. Made me flat out bug-shagging crazy, and I'm not exactly bragging about it, but they were stronger than I was. Made me see things, do things. And how come you never told anyone you saw me?" Spike asked.

"I don't know. I guess… I was partly hoping you were some kind of mirage."

"Sorry to disappoint."

"Not your fault."

"Hold the torch will you?" Spike handed Faith the flashlight. Faith reached out to take it, and when her hand brushed his, Faith remembered the huge fight that had taken place the night they had both left Sunnydale. Faith pulled the flashlight back hastily with a tiny gasp. Spike looked at her, seeing her emotion.

"Look this… us working together, it's not a way for us to get back together if that's what you want." Faith said. "I'm still really pissed at what you did to me."

"It's not. Look I can't blame you for being all skittish."

"Skittish? That's not a word I would use for it. You tried to rape me. I don't have the words."

"What?" Angel asked surprised.

Spike and Faith ignored him. "I can't say 'sorry'. I can't use 'forgive me'. All I can say is, Faith, I've changed." Spike continued.

"I believe you."

"Well that's something."

"I just don't know what you've changed into. You come back to town, you make with the big surprises. I don't know what your game is Spike, but I know there's something you're not telling me."

"Look at you. You left Sunnyhell too. But you're right, there is, but we're not best friends anymore, so too bad for me, I'm not sharing. I can be useful, cause' honestly, I've got nothing better to do. You two can make use of me if you want. And there's nothing here, just a bit of slime, mounds of displaced dirt and such, whatever our beastie is, he's gone." Spike walked back down the street and Faith looked at Buffy. Buffy looked really uncomfortable. Faith shrugged as if to say she were sorry and then headed after Spike. Buffy sighed and turned to Angel.

"He raped Faith?" Angel asked sounding angry.

"Tried." Buffy corrected him. "Faith really didn't want people to know, but I guess now everyone knows."

"What's to stop him from trying yet again?"

"Me." Buffy replied. "Come on. We need to patrol. I told Xander that we'd all meet him at the Bronze later for a recap." They started to walk and do their patrol. They walked through a couple of the graveyards and down Main Street, but no vamps were out and wanting to play. It was almost time for them to be at the Bronze, so they turned back the way they'd came and headed towards the Bronze. When they arrived, Spike, Faith, Xander, and Nancy were all waiting for them. They walked up to them.

"I found out something interesting and I bet you guys found zilch." Xander said.

"Whacha got?" Buffy asked.

"Anya's been busy lately. That creepy worm thing we've been after is Nancy's ex."

"Really?"

"And I'm bettin' Anya's in there getting her vengeance on."

"Let's go." They all walked in and sure enough, there was Anya with some girl getting ready to make a wish.

"Is this the one you talked to?" Xander asked Nancy. She nodded.

"Tell you what." Anya said to the girl as she saw them approach. "Why don't we put a pin in it? Why don't you go get yourself a drink and we'll pick it up in a few." The girl left. "You guys, I am working here." Anya hissed at them.

"We noticed." Buffy said.

"That's why we're here." Faith said.

"Right... Did you turn this nice lady's ex into a giant worm monster?" Xander asked.

"Ha-ha!... yes." Anya said.

"No way! Are you saying that thing was Ronnie?" Nancy asked.

"You wish it, I dish it. I thought we were all clear on this. I didn't think you were gonna go all nark on me."

"You wished your ex was a worm?" Angel asked.

"Well... we were just talking…" Nancy said.

"Anya has a way of... making things happen." Xander explained.

"I had a quota, the guy had it coming, what's the big?" Anya said.

"I think I'm going to be sick." Nancy said.

"Anya that thing you created, burst through solid pavement and ate her dog." Buffy said.

"Oh! Puppy!" Anya said.

"Wait! That gets your sad noise? People's lives are in danger and you give it up for the yorkie?" Xander asked.

"You never understood me Xander."

"Xander? Who is this woman?" Nancy asked.

"Anya? She's um… Anya. My ex." Xander explained.

"Oh."

"Hey! Nobody's bragging here." Anya said. She started to get up and Spike went over to her and stopped her.

"Uh-uh, uh, uh, uh." He grabbed Anya's arms.

She jerked away. "Hey! Get your hands off the merchandise, Spike!"

"Please. Liked I'd go for you when I got my own."

"Last time checked, you and your own weren't together."

"That's what you think."

"Ok guys can we focus here for just a second? Anya, this Ronnie, he wasn't a worm. Worms are like this big," Buffy indicated a couple of inches with her fingers. "This thing was." Buffy said.

"A Sluggoth demon, am I right?" Spike asked.

"Maybe." Anya said.

"Wait, I didn't wish for that. I don't even know what this whatchamacallit demon is!" Nancy said.

"Sluggoth demon, it's a very large, very nasty natural predator, who died around the crusades." Spike said.

"Same phylum, it's not cheating, I just embellished." Anya protested.

"Well you can un-embellish now." Xander said.

"Bite me Harris. I have rules to work with, vengeance demon codes of conduct. But you'll never understand 'cause you're all so… human."

"I'm not." Angel said.

"And I'm not." Spike said. "I'm a demon, just like yourself Anya, you're gonna turn the spell around like a good little vengeance demon or I… what?"

Anya stared at Spike. "Oh my God!"

"What are you staring at?"

"Oh my God!" A smile began to creep onto Anya's face. Spike looked nervous.

"Right, let's go." Spike said.

"How did you do it?"

"Spike, what's she talking about?" Faith asked.

"I can see you!"

"Nothing, let's go. Got some worm hunting to do." Spike said, trying to rush out.

"How did you do it!?"

"Shut up!"

"This shouldn't be possible!"

"Shut your mouth!"

"How did you get it?"

"I just said you shut up!" Spike decked Anya, who knocked over the table as she fell. Nancy looked around at everyone worried and headed for the door. Spike moved to stand over Anya straddling her and punching her. Anya punched Spike, flinging him across the room where he landed on the pool table, damaging it. Anya stood up in full demon face.

"I'm gonna kick your ass!" Anya said.

"Right bitch! Round and round we…" Spike started. Faith cut him off. She spun him around to face her. He was in full vamp face.

"You haven't changed Spike." Faith growled.

"She's right." Buffy said behind Spike. He turned to stare at both Slayers that were glaring at him. Buffy punched him, he punched her back, and Faith punched him back twice.

"Workin' out some personal issues are we?" Spike asked the two women. Buffy kicked Spike while Faith punched him. "Hey, I guess this will be first contact since you know when. Up for another round in the balcony then?" Spike asked Faith. Faith looked furious and yelled a little as she punched him hard, knocking him to the ground. Spike chuckled, blood on his mouth and got back up. "Right you are love! I haven't changed, not a lick. And watching your face while you two tried to figure me out was absolutely delicious!"

"Girls!" Xander called.

"Not now." Faith and Buffy called out.

"Nancy. She's gone, and out there all alone. She's worm bait!"

Buffy sighed and looked at Faith. The brunette nodded and Buffy said, "I'll go find her. You stay with Anya, get her to reverse that spell."

"Hey is that it? A little touchy-feely and your off to the bat poles?" Spike called after Buffy as she left. Buffy ignored him as she and Angel ran out. Spike followed and then Faith ran after him. They were all jumping over rooftops and trying to find Nancy. Buffy heard a scream and she ran faster. For just a moment Buffy paused and found a rope attached to the side of the building she was on. She grabbed on and swung down.

Nancy was clinging on the broken ladder. Below her, the ground broke apart and the Sluggoth demon started to rise up, mouth wide to swallow her. She lost her grip screaming, and just as she started to fall, Buffy came swinging in on the rope, catching her in mid-air. They both swung further down the alley and dropped down onto some conveniently placed soft trash. Buffy came out from behind some boxes, Nancy hanging back against the wall.

"Go B!" Faith yelled before she jumped down with Angel. Spike was nowhere to be found. Buffy started to advance to where the Sluggoth demon last was, when suddenly the pavement behind her erupted and it rose up out of the ground menacing her. Nancy screamed and Buffy dropped into a fighting stance. Behind Buffy, Spike dropped to the ground and walked over to a barred window, pulling off one of the bars as a weapon.

"You've had your turn Love." Spike said. "Leave the real violence to the demons, yeah?" Spike stepped forward, clubbing the demon with the bar. "That's right, Big Bad's back, and looking for a little death!" Spike reared back, plunging the bar forward as a spear, just as he did this, the demon suddenly morphed into a man, unable to stop his swing, the bar continued, impaling Ronnie through the shoulder and exiting behind him. Ronnie screamed in pain, and simultaneously so does Spike clutching at his head. Spike looked up, horrified. "I'm sorry." Spike pulled out the bar, and Ronnie fell to the ground, Buffy and Angel rushed up. Buffy grabbed a blanket from a pile of trash to wrap around Ronnie. Spike looked down at the bar in his hands. "Right. Wrong. Wrong maneuver. Not hardly helpful. God please help me." Spike muttered. Faith went to help Buffy and Angel just as Spike screamed, "Help me!"

Faith stopped and turned to look at him. "You're not the one who needs help!"

"He's going into shock." Buffy said. She took out her cell phone and dialed 911. Spike continued to mutter to himself while she talked to the 911 operator. "Yeah, I need an ambulance, someone's been stabbed, oh god, on the corner of third and Fairfield. Ok, help is coming try not to move."

"No, no. Too much, too much, too much, too much, too much, in, down, up close, inside me all the way. Deep, deep, deep inside me." Spike said.

Faith started to walk up to him, an angry look plastered on her face. "Look Spike, whatever you're doing…"

"Get away! Get... uhh!"

"Do it somewhere else! I am through with this!"

"Oh, oh, lucky girl. Call it quits, now there's an option. If only it was so easy, if only…if only…" Spike turned as if he was talking to someone else and said, "What the hell are you screaming about? I can hear you. No need to SHOUT!" The last word started out as a scream of rage and by the end sounded like pain. Spike doubled over. He stood back up laughing incongruously as Buffy, Angel, Faith, and Nancy continued to stare at him. "I get it, the jokes on me. Lots of laughs. Yeah. Hey, bring the wife and kiddies, come see the show." He twirled the bar casually between his fingers. "'Cause it's gonna be a circus. This..." Spike moved forward, laying down the bar. He leaned in, facing Faith as she stood a little ways away from Spike. ".. Just the beginning love, a warm up act. The real headliner's coming, and when that band hits the stage, all of this..." Spike stood straight and spread his arms. "All of this will come tumbling in death, and screaming, horror, and bloodshed." He pointed to the ground. "From beneath you, it devours. From beneath… poor Rocky…" Spike looked as if he was beginning to cry, then sprinted off down the alley. Faith followed after him.

"Buffy!" Xander called behind them. Xander and Anya hurried up, as Buffy took off her coat to use as a pillow for Ronnie.

Nancy stepped forward looking at Anya. "You. You did this. What are you?" Anya just stared back. Nancy left, running away as fast as she could.

"She's not calling me."

"Ok, help is on the way, look after him." Buffy said. She handed Xander her cell phone and started off down the alley in the direction that Spike fled.

"Where are you going?" Buffy didn't hear him. She just ran after Spike and Faith. She caught to Faith and the two Slayers stopped in a graveyard. They spotted a church up ahead, candlelight flickering in the windows. After a moment, Buffy turned to Faith and Faith advanced on the church.

"Faith." Buffy said. The brunette turned. "I'll be here if you need me."

Faith walked to the door and opened it, entering the small church. She walked forward, then stopped, looking around, seeing no one. Suddenly, Spike stepped out of the shadows behind her, bare-chested, and holding his blue shirt.

"Didn't work." Spike said.

Faith spun around and stared at Spike. "What the hell are you…"

"Didn't work. Costume. Didn't help. Couldn't hide." He threw the blue shirt onto a pew.

"No more mind games Spike."

"No more mind games? No more mind."

"Tell me what happened to you." Faith looked down at the deep scratches in Spike's chest, and reached out to touch them.

"Hey! Hey! Hey! No touching! Am I flesh? Am I flesh to you? Feed on flesh. My flesh. Nothing else, not a spark. Fine, flesh then. Solid through. Get it hard, service the girl." Spike looked upset and reached down and started to unbutton his pants.

"Stop it! You..." Faith reached down to stop him from unbuttoning his pants, and suddenly Spike's hand was around her throat. Faith grabbed his arm and hurled him halfway across the church to crash into several pews, smashing them apart. Spike struggled up to a half sitting position.

"Right. Girl doesn't want to be serviced, because there's no spark." Spike looked up and yelled, "Ain't we in a sodding engine?"

"Spike have you completely lost your mind?" Faith asked, walking closer.

"Well yes. Where have you been all night?"

"You thought you would just come back here and be with me?"

"First time for everything. You left too."

"This is all you get. I'm listening. Tell me what happened."

"I tried to find it of course."

"Find what?"

"The spark… the missing... the piece... that fit... that would make me fit. Because you didn't want... I can't... not with you looking." Spike got up and moved into the shadows. "I dreamed of killing you." Faith reached down and picked up a sharp piece of wood. "I think they were dreams. So weak. Did you make me weak? Thinking of you? Holding myself and spilling useless buckets of salt over your… ending. Angel…Liam… they should have warned me. He makes a good show of forgetting but, it's here... in me, all the time. The spark." Faith swallowed as Spike walked out of the shadows behind her. "I wanted to give you... what you deserve. What you wanted. And I got it. They put the spark in me and now all it does is burn."

"Your soul." Faith whispered.

"A bit worse for lack of use."

"You got your soul back? How?"

"It's what you wanted, right? To be like Buffy? It's what you wanted, right?" Spike asked hurriedly. Faith swallowed and looked down. Spike walked past her as he talked, towards the front of the church where a huge cross stood. "And-and now everybody's in here... talking. Everything I did… everyone I... and him... and it... the other, the thing… beneath… beneath you… it's here too. Everybody. They all just tell me go. Go… to hell."

Faith's eyes were glassy with tears and she shook her head slightly. "Why? Why would you do that?"

"Faith shame on you. Why does a man do what he mustn't? For her, to be hers... to be the kind of man who would nev... to be a kind of man..." Spike advanced towards the cross. "And she shall look at him with forgiveness... and everybody will forgive and love… he will be loved." Spike stood within inches of the cross now, staring at it. "So everything's ok right?" He leaned forward and embraced the cross hanging himself on it as smoke started to rise from his flesh. A single tear fell down Faith's cheek. "Can we rest now? Faith, can we rest?" Smoke continued to rise off him as he hung there on the cross. Faith saw how much in pain he was and how helpless she felt now. She wanted to help him but the events of their fight stopped her from doing so. All she though was if the fight hadn't happen, this wouldn't happen. She didn't know how she and Spike could work out now. But there might be someone who could tell her.

Faith turned and bolted out of the church. She ran past Buffy and headed down the street. Buffy gave chase, calling the other Slayer's name out. She followed her, not knowing where she was going or what had happened in the church. She saw Faith running towards her house.

Liam, Delia, and Dawn were in the living room. Liam was helping Dawn out with her homework while Delia played a little with Connor. They jumped when Faith banged through the door and strode in. Liam got to his feet just as Faith grabbed him by the throat and slammed him into the wall. She had him lifted a few inches off the ground.

"Faith, what are you doing?" Dawn asked shocked.

"Did you know?" Faith asked Liam, ignoring Dawn. Buffy came in a second later and saw what was happening.

"Faith get off of him!" Buffy came over and ripped Faith's hands from Liam's neck. Liam coughed and rubbed where Faith had him a moment ago.

"Did you know about Spike?" Faith asked Liam. Liam stood up straight with his hand still at his neck.

"That would depend on what?" he asked.

"Did you know about his soul? Did you know he got it back?" Faith asked with tears in her eyes. Everyone stood stunned and stared at Faith. Liam was the only one who wasn't surprised. That's because he knew. Not just knew, but planned.

"Yes." He said plainly. Now everyone starred at Liam. Buffy especially she remembered that Liam once told her Spike would get his soul back, she was stunned at first too but had since forgotten about it. Faith looked utterly disgusted with Liam and decked him one. Liam's head jerked to the side and he looked back at Faith with a spilt lip and resumed just looking at her.

"Why? Why didn't you tell me? Tell him?" Faith demanded an answer.

"Because…he needed to get it for himself." Liam said.

"He did it for me. He did it so I could be more like big sister Buffy."

"I know. I'm sorry." Liam apologized.

"Oh you're sorry? Spike is going crazy because he's feeling a mountain shit full of guilt for all he's done. He could have avoided all of it if you had told us. If you had stopped having your head stuck up your ass and prevent him from raping me."

"Hey, look, he tried to do that with my mother before but I changed it." Liam started.

"So he could rape me?"

"So that he could realize that he needed a soul." Liam corrected. "He needed his soul to be the man he wants to become. The man he will become."

"But why didn't you just tell him? Tell someone?"

"He needed to want it on his own. He needed to figure it out on his own. Otherwise he wouldn't be the uncle I grew up with. It was so that he could be nobler."

"Oh yeah, and raping someone is very noble like."

"It is when a demon does it and is disgusted by himself. That's what happened to him with my mom and what had happened with you."

Faith looked flat out appalled and disgusted with Liam. After everything he had done for her, he had devised a plan like this. "I hate you." Faith hissed and turned to leave, breaking the salt line. Liam took it as his chance and followed, leaving Buffy and Dawn standing stunned in th living room. Delia stood stunned too. She didn't know Liam had planned for Spike to rape Faith instead of Buffy. She understood why not Buffy, but why did it have to be Faith? Why did it have to happen at all? Angel came into the house shortly after Liam and Faith left and saw the open door and the three women standing in the room.

"What happened?" he asked.

Faith was striding down the sidewalk, fighting back tears. Liam came up behind her. "Aunt Faith." He said. Faith turned around and decked him again. Liam straightened back up, now with a spilt lip and a bruised cheek. "Better?" he asked. Faith decked him again. "Ok, now I'm tired of my face being a punching bag."

"You deserve a lot more than what I'm giving you." Faith said angrily.

"Oh, I fully agree." Liam said rubbing where Faith hit him.

"I can't believe you. After everything you've done, you pull something like this?"

"I did it…for you."

"He was fine without his soul."

"No. He wasn't. Faith…everything that makes Spike the great man he was in the future, began with him getting his soul. That's how he was a great husband. That's how he was a great father. Hell, that's how he became a father." Liam explained.

"What?"

Liam sighed. "Faith…Spike was human when he died." Liam told her. Faith starred Liam, not understanding what he said. "That's right. He was human. And it wasn't because of some prophecy. That belonged to my dad. But Spike wanted to give you what you deserved, what you wanted. And he wanted it too. You both saw how my parents and everyone else was so happy with tier children that you wanted one of your own. So Spike did it. He turned himself human."

"How?"

"Morah-demon blood. It has resurrection capabilities. That's how dad became human on the day that never happened. Spike found the demon, drew the blood, and injected himself with it. It turned him human and that's how you two had your son."

"William." Faith whispered remembering the vision Liam showed her.

"He goes by Bill." Liam informed her. Faith looked passed Liam and tears fell from her eyes as everything that Liam said dawned on her. Spike became human for her and now regained his soul for her. He put himself through a lot, all for the women that he loved. In this case, only Faith. Liam cautiously stepped forward and hugged his crying aunt. She let him and hugged back. Liam patted her head and rubbed her back.

"Why? Why…do all of…this?" Faith hiccupped.

"Not to seem cruel." Liam answered honestly. "I came back to change a lot of things Faith. The past, to save the future. But I swore when I came back, not to change my family. If anything, I came back to ensure that they stayed the same. Even you. I love you." Faith held Liam tighter and cried into his shoulder. Liam too had some tears in his eyes.

…

"So you told her the truth?" Delia asked. She was sitting on hers and Liam's bed as Liam leaned on the window seal and looked out to the street. After Faith calmed down, he brought her home where Buffy and Angel started to console her and Dawn gave Liam a nasty look for keeping this big a secret and letting Spike rape Faith. Buffy and Angel drove Faith back to her apartment and would stay with her for the night, leaving Liam with and angry Dawn and a frustrated Delia.

"I told her enough." Liam replied. "She needed to hear it."

"What I don't understand is why you even let Spike rape her in the first place."

"He needed to do what he did before on someone he loved to have the remorse he felt and to regain his soul."

"Sad thing is, I think you actually believe that. I think things didn't go down exactly as you planned. You didn't count on so many people asking questions. You didn't think about what happens when you lie. Especially when you lie to the ones you love the most. When you came back to the past, and plotted your grand plan to save the future, I don't think you stopped to consider the effect on the people who were once in your life and you have been blessed with having again." Delia got up and walked behind Liam. "Or how it might hurt them."

Liam got up off the window seal and turned to face Delia. "You're wrong. I think about it all the time. And just to be clear, not being able to tell my family everything, small, big, random, important… it doesn't hurt anyone worse than it hurts me."

…

Faith sat in her bed, fully awake, thinking about everything Liam had said earlier tonight. Spike had gotten his soul for Buffy, then became human for Faith and had a child with her. Now Liam made it so Spike got his soul for her instead. It seemed fine and started out a better romantic story, but Faith still couldn't bear to see Spike in so much pain, and to remember what pain it caused her.

Buffy opened up the door and looked inside, seeing Faith still awake. "I've always been the jealous type and look what it's done." Faith said, without looking up at Buffy.

"What are you talking about?" Buffy asked, sitting down next to Faith.

"I've always been jealous of you. Of what you had and I didn't."

"Faith..?"

"He did it for me. He did it so I could be more like big sister Buffy." Faith began to cry again. "How can a person love someone so much that they would put themselves through that kind of torment? He didn't need one. I was fine without one."

"You've always had a conscience. You just chose to ignore it. Spike, Angel, they didn't get choices. Their souls were taken from them."

"I meant him. I was fine with him without a soul."

"No, you didn't. There was more to that statement. I just answered the question behind it."

"Why aren't I like him Buffy?"

"Like Spike?"

"He's crazy because of it. I've lost him because of my jealousy."

"Why aren't you crazy?" Faith nodded. "Your soul was never lost and it was always there. But you're strong. You bounced back."

"Why can't Spike?"

"I don't know."

"Why isn't Angel crazy? He was never crazy."

"That's not true." Faith turned to look at Buffy. "He was. Before he met me. He couldn't take the pain that his soul caused him. He lived on the streets like a beggar, feeding off rats. People would cross the street to get away from him. After Darla shunned him for the second time, he became a real recluse. He stopped caring." Faith was silent. Minutes past by as the women sat there, thinking of the men they loved.

"I've never felt this way before." Faith said.

"Like what?" Buffy asked.

"Like I belong."

"You've always belonged. And just like the conscience, you chose to ignore it. We were always there with open arms Faith. All you had to do was tell us you wanted in."

"I'm not just talking about that."

"You're talking about love. I know. I caught that."

"Is that what that hole is that's been ripping at my heart lately?"

"It's not always like that."

"Pft!"

"It'll get better eventually. Time is all it takes Faith. I know it hurts now; I've been there. I've been there a lot. Not just with Angel. With Liam."

"The guy that lied and kept something this bog from all of us."

"Actually Faith, he told." Faith looked at Buffy stunned and little angry that she knew and didn't tell her. "Two years ago, when Liam first came here, and only me, Angel, my mother, Dawn, and Spike knew who he was, he blurted out to me by accident that Spike would get his soul. He didn't mean to. But he said so that I could start accepting Spike as family."

"And you forgot to tell me." Faith said coldly.

"Actually I did."

"What's the point of all this?"

"Going back to what I was saying before, time is all it takes. With Liam, when he died, I was devastated. I didn't think I would ever pull through that. You were there. You saw me. I watched him die in my place and go somewhere that he didn't deserve.

"He said he didn't go to hell or anywhere. That he wasn't dead."

"No. But his soul left his body and went to hell. Faith he was in hell." Faith stared in shock at Buffy's revelation. "He told me. My son sacrificed a lot to come back and make his family whole with m being pregnant with Connor. And he died for it. A hole was ripped in my heart and I couldn't do anything with it. It wasn't really closed though. After Liam came back to us, it was still pretty large. Time has helped me. And my family."

"I don't have one of those."

"You do. We may not be blood relatives, but it's not the blood that counts in those bonds. Family is who the heart feels most comfortable with. Family is people who are always there for you through thick and thin. And you have quite a large family Faith. I'm proud to have you in my family."

"After all I've done?"

"Ah, I'll get over it eventually. For now, I just want you to calm down and realize that you do have people that are here for you."

"I don't feel like I do."

"Well, you do. And Liam was probably the first. He loved you long before any of us started to accept you. He had planned on getting you out of jail since day one and getting you together with Spike. Ok, sure, he's very manipulative but it's always for a good thing. And I don't think he even likes it. But everything he does, he does for his family."

"I don't have that."

"You do. Faith, when you first came to Sunnydale, you had me and mom and Dawn. Dawn looked up to you more than she did me."

"That's not true."

"It is. And you also had Willow and Xander and Giles. Angel was there for you too. You just never noticed. I promised myself that I would never give up on you. As long as it took, I would help you. And I still haven't given up on you. How many people have ever done that for you?"

"One."

"Who?"

"Angel."

"There you go, a part of your large family. And now that he and I are married, you're in a lot of trouble." Faith chuckled and Buffy smiled at her. But the laugh didn't last. It turned into quiet sobs. Faith was finally breaking down and Buffy was there to help her. Buffy opened her arms and Faith's head fell on Buffy's shoulder. She sobbed onto the other Slayer's shoulder and Buffy let her. She stroked Faith's hair and told her that everything would work out for them all. Outside of the door, Angel stood peering in from behind the door post. He had listened to the entire conversation. He smiled at his wife and how she handled the situation.

…

In the warehouse district of LA, three Wolfram and Hart lawyers stood waiting for the convoy with a large team of Wolfram and Harts Special Ops team and a few representatives of a gang here to collect guns. The lawyers were scared out of their minds. They knew they were being used as bait, they didn't really have a choice to back out. They all hoped they would survive and that they plan would work. Across of few warehouse roofs, snipers surrounded the delivery sight. They looked through their scopes and saw the lawyers from every angle possible.

One sniper looked through his scope and looked at his watch, noticing that the arrival time of the convoy was close. Suddenly he was grabbed form the back of his hair and his throat was slit. His sniper buddy on the same roof looked two his friend as a throwing knife hit him in the jugular. The hooded swordsman looked at his progress and jumped to the next roof. On another roof, two snipers lay in wait. One sniper looked through his scope and started to look around for anyone waiting for the convoy, other than them. He gazed stopped when he saw the hooded archer with his bow drawn, several yards away. The archer shot his arrow and the arrow pierced the snipers lenses and into his eye, killing him. The second sniper on the roof looked and saw his dead buddy, just as an arrow got him in the head. Three snipers on another roof waited for anything. The hooded witch floated up from behind them and landed on the roof. She raised her hands up in front of her face with the palm facing to snipers, and twisted it, clenching her fist. The snipers heads twisted and their necks broke.

Down on the ground, three trucks turned a corner and entered where the lawyers stood in wait. The trucks stopped and several men hopped out. One was black man in a black coat. The lawyers stepped forward and greet him.

"Glad you could make it, Mr. Emil." One of the lawyers said nervously.

"Not particularly glad of doing this business transaction with your hoods hanging around." Emil said.

"Don't worry. We have all the necessary precautions. Shall we conduct business?" The lawyer extended his hand out to the warehouse where they would do the transaction. Emil signaled to his men and two men carried a box out of one of the trucks. Emil, the lawyers, the two men, the gang members, and a few commandos entered the warehouse.

One of the ops members outside went to his radio. "Whiskey team, you got your eyes on? Over." He received no response. "Whiskey team, do you copy?" Still no response.

Two of Emil's men were taken down by the witch carrying her boa staff. Two Commandos moved in on her and in one swoop, the woman took them both out with a hit from her staff. Two more commandos were cut down as arrows appeared in their chests. The archer took out another arrow and hit another commando from the roof above. The woman raised her hand and the weapons the commandos had floated out of their hands and broke apart. She flipped herself around another commando and kicked another. She struggled with the commando she was on. The swordsman jumped down from a roof and stabbed commandos with his swords. Three more commandos came at him with their knives. The swordsman dodged the first swing and sliced the commando's side and the leg of another commando. He straightened up and brought his swords down in an arc and got the third commando in both of his collar bones. He kicked him off of his swords and stabbed the second commando who he sliced his leg. The witch finished taking out her group of guards with excellent precision from her staff. The archer came from behind a truck and hit a commando several times, knocking him out. The three hoods met up and looked to the warehouse where the lawyers were in.

Inside, the deal seemed to be going well. "The M249 machine gun." Emil said introducing the weapon to the lawyers and a few commandos. "Gas powered, air-cooled, fires up to 800 rounds per minute." He handed to machine gun to a gang member who whistled in delight. "Twenty-eight crates, four guns in each crate, 250,000 dollars cash. Take it or leave it. That's the deal." Emil said. The lawyers looked to each other and nodded.

The swordsman hopped down from the balcony beam onto a large pile of crates and backed-flipped off. He face one of Emil's men and punched him right into the stack of crates, making him fire his weapon. The swordsman ducked behind the large stack as the commandos and Emil's men opened fire. The archer came out from behind a crate of his own and fired an arrow the broke in half and connected by a metal chain, and caught the gang leader around the neck and pinned him to another large crate. He choked on the chain. The archer fired another arrow and got a gang member about to shoot at him. Emil got scared and tried to run, but a rope of some kind wrapped itself around his neck and he was hauled up as the witch descended, holding her whip which was around Emil's neck. She landed on the ground and whip stuck to the ground like magic. Emil choked and kicked his feet aimlessly through the air before hanging still. The swordsman came out with his double bladed sword and took out a few more commandos. The archer skidded his bow across the floor and it went under the feet of a commando next to a forklift. The commando looked down at the bow and was slammed into by the archer's feet and the archer flipped himself over the forklift as a barrage of bullets from three other commandos fired at him and killed their fellow commando. The witch came over and incapacitate one of the commandos with well dealt blows to his body. The swordsman came over and knocked the gun out of one commando's hands before spinning and slicing his stomach with his blades. The last commando held his gun up ready to fire at the two before the tip of an arrow popped out of his chest and he went down. The archer stood behind him with his bow raised.

The three Wolfram and Hart lawyers got scared and ran out of the door to the warehouse. The three hoods saw them leave and followed. The witch took her whip and cracked it back, letting Emil's dead body fall to the ground. They all came out of the warehouse and saw the lawyers nearly to the exit of the parking lot. The witch stretched her whip and it caught on fire. The archer pulled back an arrow and aimed. The swordsman with his swords connected, pressed a button on his vambraces and his sword blades lit up, letting out a low humming sound. The witch reeled back her whip and brought it down in an overhand arc, the whip extending its length. The archer fired his arrow and the swordsman threw his double swords.

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